Reconstructive hand surgery for quadriplegic persons.

PubMed

Ainsley, J; Voorhees, C; Drake, E

1985-11-01

Reconstructive hand surgery is one approach to restoring lost hand function in quadriplegic patients. This paper describes Craig Hospital's experience with the two-stage procedure for achieving active grasp and pinch for C7 spinal cord-injured patients. It describes the hand clinic, patient selection and education, the surgery itself, and postsurgical occupational therapy. It also includes follow-up results on all patients treated since the program's inception.

Creating Spaces for Reconstructing Knowledge in Feminist Pedagogy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Audrey; Gitlin, Andrew

1995-01-01

Presents a conceptual outline for a feminist pedagogy that attempts to develop reconstructed knowledge. The paper describes how standpoint theory and conversation as method can further the aim of reconstructed knowledge, arguing that teachers and students with pedagogical relations should seek opportunities to create spaces within which to…

Detection of Missing Assemblies and Estimation of the Scattering Densities in a VSC-24 Dry Storage Cask with Cosmic-Ray-Muon-Based Computed Tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Zhengzhi; Hayward, Jason; Liao, Can

We report that highly energetic, cosmic-ray muons can penetrate a dry storage cask and yield information about the material inside it by making use of the physics of multiple Coulomb scattering. Work by others has shown this information may be used for verification of dry storage cask contents after continuity of knowledge has been lost. In our modeling and simulation approach, we use ideal planar radiation detectors to record the trajectories and momentum of both incident and exiting cosmic ray muons; this choice allows us to demonstrate the fundamental limit of the technology for a particular measurement and reconstruction method.more » In a method analogous to computed tomography with the attenuation coefficient replaced by scattering density, we apply a filtered back projection algorithm in order to reconstruct the geometry in modeled scenarios for a VSC-24 concrete-walled cask. We also report on our attempt to estimate material-specific information. A scenario where one of the middle four spent nuclear fuel assemblies is missing—undetectable with a simple PoCA-based approach—is expected to be detectable with a CT-based approach. Moreover, a trickier scenario where one or more assemblies is replaced by a dummy assembly is put forward. Lastly, in this case, we expect that this dry storage cask should be found to be not as declared based on our simulation and reconstruction results.« less

Detection of Missing Assemblies and Estimation of the Scattering Densities in a VSC-24 Dry Storage Cask with Cosmic-Ray-Muon-Based Computed Tomography

DOE PAGES

Liu, Zhengzhi; Hayward, Jason; Liao, Can; ...

2017-08-01

We report that highly energetic, cosmic-ray muons can penetrate a dry storage cask and yield information about the material inside it by making use of the physics of multiple Coulomb scattering. Work by others has shown this information may be used for verification of dry storage cask contents after continuity of knowledge has been lost. In our modeling and simulation approach, we use ideal planar radiation detectors to record the trajectories and momentum of both incident and exiting cosmic ray muons; this choice allows us to demonstrate the fundamental limit of the technology for a particular measurement and reconstruction method.more » In a method analogous to computed tomography with the attenuation coefficient replaced by scattering density, we apply a filtered back projection algorithm in order to reconstruct the geometry in modeled scenarios for a VSC-24 concrete-walled cask. We also report on our attempt to estimate material-specific information. A scenario where one of the middle four spent nuclear fuel assemblies is missing—undetectable with a simple PoCA-based approach—is expected to be detectable with a CT-based approach. Moreover, a trickier scenario where one or more assemblies is replaced by a dummy assembly is put forward. Lastly, in this case, we expect that this dry storage cask should be found to be not as declared based on our simulation and reconstruction results.« less

Rapid changes in the gut microbiome during human evolution

PubMed Central

Moeller, Andrew H.; Li, Yingying; Mpoudi Ngole, Eitel; Ahuka-Mundeke, Steve; Lonsdorf, Elizabeth V.; Pusey, Anne E.; Peeters, Martine; Hahn, Beatrice H.; Ochman, Howard

2014-01-01

Humans are ecosystems containing trillions of microorganisms, but the evolutionary history of this microbiome is obscured by a lack of knowledge about microbiomes of African apes. We sequenced the gut communities of hundreds of chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas and developed a phylogenetic approach to reconstruct how present-day human microbiomes have diverged from those of ancestral populations. Compositional change in the microbiome was slow and clock-like during African ape diversification, but human microbiomes have deviated from the ancestral state at an accelerated rate. Relative to the microbiomes of wild apes, human microbiomes have lost ancestral microbial diversity while becoming specialized for animal-based diets. Individual wild apes cultivate more phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species of bacteria than do individual humans across a range of societies. These results indicate that humanity has experienced a depletion of the gut flora since diverging from Pan. PMID:25368157

Rapid changes in the gut microbiome during human evolution.

PubMed

Moeller, Andrew H; Li, Yingying; Mpoudi Ngole, Eitel; Ahuka-Mundeke, Steve; Lonsdorf, Elizabeth V; Pusey, Anne E; Peeters, Martine; Hahn, Beatrice H; Ochman, Howard

2014-11-18

Humans are ecosystems containing trillions of microorganisms, but the evolutionary history of this microbiome is obscured by a lack of knowledge about microbiomes of African apes. We sequenced the gut communities of hundreds of chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas and developed a phylogenetic approach to reconstruct how present-day human microbiomes have diverged from those of ancestral populations. Compositional change in the microbiome was slow and clock-like during African ape diversification, but human microbiomes have deviated from the ancestral state at an accelerated rate. Relative to the microbiomes of wild apes, human microbiomes have lost ancestral microbial diversity while becoming specialized for animal-based diets. Individual wild apes cultivate more phyla, classes, orders, families, genera, and species of bacteria than do individual humans across a range of societies. These results indicate that humanity has experienced a depletion of the gut flora since diverging from Pan.

Repeated loss of coloniality and symbiosis in scleractinian corals

PubMed Central

Barbeitos, Marcos S.; Romano, Sandra L.; Lasker, Howard R.

2010-01-01

The combination of coloniality and symbiosis in Scleractinia is thought to confer competitive advantage over other benthic invertebrates, and it is likely the key factor for the dominance of corals in tropical reefs. However, the extant Scleractinia are evenly split between zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate species. Most azooxanthellate species are solitary and nearly absent from reefs, but have much wider geographic and bathymetric distributions than reef corals. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have repeatedly recovered clades formed by colonial/zooxanthellate and solitary/azooxanthellate taxa, suggesting that coloniality and symbiosis were repeatedly acquired and/or lost throughout the history of the Scleractinia. Using Bayesian ancestral state reconstruction, we found that symbiosis was lost at least three times and coloniality lost at least six times, and at least two instances in which both characters were lost. All of the azooxanthellate lineages originated from ancestors that were reconstructed as symbiotic, corroborating the onshore–offshore diversification trend recorded in marine taxa. Symbiotic sister taxa of two of these descendant lineages are extant in Caribbean reefs but disappeared from the Mediterranean before the end of the Miocene, whereas extant azooxanthellate lineages have trans-Atlantic distributions. Thus, the phyletic link between reef and nonreef communities may have played an important role in the dynamics of extinction and recovery that marks the evolutionary history of scleractinians, and some reef lineages may have escaped local extinction by diversifying into offshore environments. However, this macroevolutionary mechanism offers no hope of mitigating the effects of climate change on coral reefs in the next century. PMID:20547851

Three Dimensional Reconstruction Workflows for Lost Cultural Heritage Monuments Exploiting Public Domain and Professional Photogrammetric Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahbeh, W.; Nebiker, S.

2017-08-01

In our paper, we document experiments and results of image-based 3d reconstructions of famous heritage monuments which were recently damaged or completely destroyed by the so-called Islamic state in Syria and Iraq. The specific focus of our research is on the combined use of professional photogrammetric imagery and of publicly available imagery from the web for optimally 3d reconstructing those monuments. The investigated photogrammetric reconstruction techniques include automated bundle adjustment and dense multi-view 3d reconstruction using public domain and professional imagery on the one hand and an interactive polygonal modelling based on projected panoramas on the other. Our investigations show that the combination of these two image-based modelling techniques delivers better results in terms of model completeness, level of detail and appearance.

Hierarchical image coding with diamond-shaped sub-bands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Xiaohui; Wang, Jie; Bauer, Peter; Sauer, Ken

1992-01-01

We present a sub-band image coding/decoding system using a diamond-shaped pyramid frequency decomposition to more closely match visual sensitivities than conventional rectangular bands. Filter banks are composed of simple, low order IIR components. The coder is especially designed to function in a multiple resolution reconstruction setting, in situations such as variable capacity channels or receivers, where images must be reconstructed without the entire pyramid of sub-bands. We use a nonlinear interpolation technique for lost subbands to compensate for loss of aliasing cancellation.

Teaching neuroscience through Web adventures: adolescents reconstruct the history and science of opioids.

PubMed

Miller, Leslie; Schweingruber, Heidi; Oliver, Robert; Mayes, Janice; Smith, Donna

2002-02-01

New technological and cultural developments surrounding adolescents' use of the World Wide Web offer an opportunity for turning aspects of the Internet gaming phenomenon to the advantage of neuroscience education. Specifically, an experimental project to transmit aspects of problem-based learning and the National Science Standards through an interactive Web adventure is reported here. The Reconstructors is an episodic Web-based adventure series entitled Medicinal Mysteries from History. It is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the first series focuses on opioids. It was created with the input of middle school students and teachers. Through the use of multimedia technologies, middle school students enter a futuristic world in which they become "reconstructors," members of an elite scientific unit charged with recovering lost medical knowledge about analgesic drugs. Two of the four episodes have been evaluated through a comprehensive review process involving middle school students, teachers, neuroscience researchers, and clinicians. Analysis of the pretest and posttest scores demonstrated significant knowledge gain that validly can be attributed to use of the game. These data provide evidence that science content can be transmitted through innovative online techniques without sacrificing compelling content or effective pedagogical strategies.

Efficiently finding information on the Internet.

PubMed

Underberger, D

2000-01-01

The Internet: a vast frontier of endless information. Despite this gold mine of knowledge, most users remain lost in cyberspace with little knowledge of what is available, where or how to find these treasures. Popular communities such as America Online have emerged because they help to organize the content into manageable pieces. But once you venture outside these confines, you get lost. This article will enable you to efficiently find general information and medically-related content on the Internet.

Lost in Knowledge Translation: Time for a Map?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Ian D.; Logan, Jo; Harrison, Margaret B.; Straus, Sharon E.; Tetroe, Jacqueline; Caswell, Wenda; Robinson, Nicole

2006-01-01

There is confusion and misunderstanding about the concepts of knowledge translation, knowledge transfer, knowledge exchange, research utilization, implementation, diffusion, and dissemination. We review the terms and definitions used to describe the concept of moving knowledge into action. We also offer a conceptual framework for thinking about…

[Tolerance of latissimus dorsi without implant to radiotherapy in immediate breast reconstruction].

PubMed

Carrabin, N; Vermersh, C; Faure, C; Dammacco, M A; Delay, E; Ho Quoc, C

2015-12-01

Rates of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) after mastectomy are currently increasing, leading us to evaluate outcomes of breast reconstruction with latissimus dorsi without implant followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. From January 1999 to August 2013, 31 breast reconstructions with latissimus dorsi have been irradiated. Patients have been selected from a prospective database and contacted to evaluate outcomes of breast reconstruction, and 2 patients have been lost. Median follow-up was 6.5 years. Breast reconstruction outcomes were evaluated as very good or good in 86% of cases, with breast reconstructed consistency as very good or good in 93% of cases. An additional fat grafting has been performed for 58% of cases (mean volume transferred of 250 cc) and was associated with contralateral breast reduction in 32% of the whole population. IBR was judged as essential for 79% of women a posteriori. In our experience, latissimus dorsi has a good tolerance to adjuvant irradiation, and may be offered to patients willing to benefit of an IBR even if postoperative radiotherapy is scheduled. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

What Sport Activity Levels Are Achieved in Patients After Resection and Endoprosthetic Reconstruction for a Proximal Femur Bone Sarcoma?

PubMed

Hobusch, Gerhard M; Bollmann, Jakob; Puchner, Stephan E; Lang, Nikolaus W; Hofstaetter, Jochen G; Funovics, Philipp T; Windhager, Reinhard

2017-03-01

Limited information is available about sports activities of survivors after resection and reconstruction of primary malignant bone tumors with megaprostheses. Because patients often ask what activities are possible after treatment, objective knowledge about sports activities is needed to help assess the risks of sports participation and to help guide patients' expectations. The aims of this study were to evaluate (1) what proportion of patients with proximal-femoral megaprostheses placed as part of tumor reconstructions can perform sports; (2) what activity levels they achieved; and (3) whether sports activity levels are associated with an increased likelihood of revision. This retrospective study considered all 27 living patients in our institutional tumor registry with enduring proximal-femoral reconstructions performed more than 5 years ago who were between the ages of 11 and 49 years at the time of the reconstruction; seven were lost to followup and one was excluded because of paraplegia as a result of a car accident and another because of senile dementia; another two were excluded from statistics because of growing prostheses and skeletal immaturity at the time of followup, leaving 16 (11 male, five female) for analysis. Their mean age was 26 ± 12 years (range, 11-49 years) at surgery, and the mean followup was 18 ± 7 years (range, 5-27 years). Types of sports, frequency per week, duration of each sports session as well as the UCLA and modified Weighted Activity Score were assessed retrospectively by an independent assessor a median of 18 years (range, 5.3-27 years) after surgery. Patients recalled that preoperatively 14 were practicing sports 5 (± 4) hours/week. At followup, 11 of the patients were practicing one or more sports activities 2 (± 3) hours/week on a regular basis. The preoperative UCLA and modified Weighted Activity Score levels of 9 and 6 fell to levels of 6 (p = 0.005) and 3 (p = 0.025), respectively, at followup. With the numbers of patients available for study, we could not determine that prosthetic failures were associated with sport activity levels. Patients who survive primary malignant bone tumors in the proximal femur reconstructed by megaprostheses are able to perform some sports activities. The estimates of activity levels made in this study probably are best-case estimates, given that some patients were lost to followup; patients unaccounted for might not be doing as well as those represented here. Also, the degree to which sports participation influences implant durability remains, for the most part, unanswered; studies with more patients and longer followup will be needed to determine to what degree prosthesis survivorship relates to sporting activity levels. Most patients perform low-impact sports and at a lower level than they had preoperatively. Because this is a preliminary study of a select group of patients, further information is necessary to weight the benefits of higher sports activity levels against potential risks. If this can be confirmed in a larger number of patients, the information may guide surgeons in their discussion with patients preoperatively and give them some objective assessment of what to expect regarding sports activities. Level IV, therapeutic study.

The KAPTUR environment: An operations concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

This report presents a high-level specification and operations concept for KAPTUR, a development environment based on knowledge acquisition for preservation of tradeoffs and underlying rationales. KAPTUR is intended to do what its name implies: to capture knowledge that is required or generated during the development process, but that is often lost because it is contextual, i.e., it does not appear directly in the end-products of development. Such knowledge includes issues that were raised during development, alternatives that were considered, and the reasons for choosing one alternative over others. Contextual information is usually only maintained as a memory in a developer's mind. As time passes, the memories become more vague and individuals become unavailable, and eventually the knowledge is lost. KAPTUR seeks to mitigate this process of attrition by recording and organizing contextual knowledge as it is generated.

Biomechanical Reconstruction Using the Tacit Learning System: Intuitive Control of Prosthetic Hand Rotation.

PubMed

Oyama, Shintaro; Shimoda, Shingo; Alnajjar, Fady S K; Iwatsuki, Katsuyuki; Hoshiyama, Minoru; Tanaka, Hirotaka; Hirata, Hitoshi

2016-01-01

Background: For mechanically reconstructing human biomechanical function, intuitive proportional control, and robustness to unexpected situations are required. Particularly, creating a functional hand prosthesis is a typical challenge in the reconstruction of lost biomechanical function. Nevertheless, currently available control algorithms are in the development phase. The most advanced algorithms for controlling multifunctional prosthesis are machine learning and pattern recognition of myoelectric signals. Despite the increase in computational speed, these methods cannot avoid the requirement of user consciousness and classified separation errors. "Tacit Learning System" is a simple but novel adaptive control strategy that can self-adapt its posture to environment changes. We introduced the strategy in the prosthesis rotation control to achieve compensatory reduction, as well as evaluated the system and its effects on the user. Methods: We conducted a non-randomized study involving eight prosthesis users to perform a bar relocation task with/without Tacit Learning System support. Hand piece and body motions were recorded continuously with goniometers, videos, and a motion-capture system. Findings: Reduction in the participants' upper extremity rotatory compensation motion was monitored during the relocation task in all participants. The estimated profile of total body energy consumption improved in five out of six participants. Interpretation: Our system rapidly accomplished nearly natural motion without unexpected errors. The Tacit Learning System not only adapts human motions but also enhances the human ability to adapt to the system quickly, while the system amplifies compensation generated by the residual limb. The concept can be extended to various situations for reconstructing lost functions that can be compensated.

Information loss and reconstruction in diffuse fluorescence tomography

PubMed Central

Bonfert-Taylor, Petra; Leblond, Frederic; Holt, Robert W.; Tichauer, Kenneth; Pogue, Brian W.; Taylor, Edward C.

2012-01-01

This paper is a theoretical exploration of spatial resolution in diffuse fluorescence tomography. It is demonstrated that, given a fixed imaging geometry, one cannot—relative to standard techniques such as Tikhonov regularization and truncated singular value decomposition—improve the spatial resolution of the optical reconstructions via increasing the node density of the mesh considered for modeling light transport. Using techniques from linear algebra, it is shown that, as one increases the number of nodes beyond the number of measurements, information is lost by the forward model. It is demonstrated that this information cannot be recovered using various common reconstruction techniques. Evidence is provided showing that this phenomenon is related to the smoothing properties of the elliptic forward model that is used in the diffusion approximation to light transport in tissue. This argues for reconstruction techniques that are sensitive to boundaries, such as L1-reconstruction and the use of priors, as well as the natural approach of building a measurement geometry that reflects the desired image resolution. PMID:22472763

A protocol for generating a high-quality genome-scale metabolic reconstruction.

PubMed

Thiele, Ines; Palsson, Bernhard Ø

2010-01-01

Network reconstructions are a common denominator in systems biology. Bottom-up metabolic network reconstructions have been developed over the last 10 years. These reconstructions represent structured knowledge bases that abstract pertinent information on the biochemical transformations taking place within specific target organisms. The conversion of a reconstruction into a mathematical format facilitates a myriad of computational biological studies, including evaluation of network content, hypothesis testing and generation, analysis of phenotypic characteristics and metabolic engineering. To date, genome-scale metabolic reconstructions for more than 30 organisms have been published and this number is expected to increase rapidly. However, these reconstructions differ in quality and coverage that may minimize their predictive potential and use as knowledge bases. Here we present a comprehensive protocol describing each step necessary to build a high-quality genome-scale metabolic reconstruction, as well as the common trials and tribulations. Therefore, this protocol provides a helpful manual for all stages of the reconstruction process.

A protocol for generating a high-quality genome-scale metabolic reconstruction

PubMed Central

Thiele, Ines; Palsson, Bernhard Ø.

2011-01-01

Network reconstructions are a common denominator in systems biology. Bottom-up metabolic network reconstructions have developed over the past 10 years. These reconstructions represent structured knowledge-bases that abstract pertinent information on the biochemical transformations taking place within specific target organisms. The conversion of a reconstruction into a mathematical format facilitates myriad computational biological studies including evaluation of network content, hypothesis testing and generation, analysis of phenotypic characteristics, and metabolic engineering. To date, genome-scale metabolic reconstructions for more than 30 organisms have been published and this number is expected to increase rapidly. However, these reconstructions differ in quality and coverage that may minimize their predictive potential and use as knowledge-bases. Here, we present a comprehensive protocol describing each step necessary to build a high-quality genome-scale metabolic reconstruction as well as common trials and tribulations. Therefore, this protocol provides a helpful manual for all stages of the reconstruction process. PMID:20057383

Knowledge-based reconstruction for measurement of right ventricular volumes on cardiovascular magnetic resonance images in a mixed population.

PubMed

Pieterman, Elise D; Budde, Ricardo P J; Robbers-Visser, Daniëlle; van Domburg, Ron T; Helbing, Willem A

2017-09-01

Follow-up of right ventricular performance is important for patients with congenital heart disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is optimal for this purpose. However, observer-dependency of manual analysis of right ventricular volumes limit its use. Knowledge-based reconstruction is a new semiautomatic analysis tool that uses a database including knowledge of right ventricular shape in various congenital heart diseases. We evaluated whether knowledge-based reconstruction is a good alternative for conventional analysis. To assess the inter- and intra-observer variability and agreement of knowledge-based versus conventional analysis of magnetic resonance right ventricular volumes, analysis was done by two observers in a mixed group of 22 patients with congenital heart disease affecting right ventricular loading conditions (dextro-transposition of the great arteries and right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit) and a group of 17 healthy children. We used Bland-Altman analysis and coefficient of variation. Comparison between the conventional method and the knowledge-based method showed a systematically higher volume for the latter group. We found an overestimation for end-diastolic volume (bias -40 ± 24 mL, r = .956), end-systolic volume (bias -34 ± 24 mL, r = .943), stroke volume (bias -6 ± 17 mL, r = .735) and an underestimation of ejection fraction (bias 7 ± 7%, r = .671) by knowledge-based reconstruction. The intra-observer variability of knowledge-based reconstruction varied with a coefficient of variation of 9% for end-diastolic volume and 22% for stroke volume. The same trend was noted for inter-observer variability. A systematic difference (overestimation) was noted for right ventricular size as assessed with knowledge-based reconstruction compared with conventional methods for analysis. Observer variability for the new method was comparable to what has been reported for the right ventricle in children and congenital heart disease with conventional analysis. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Former extent of glacier-like forms on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brough, Stephen; Hubbard, Bryn; Hubbard, Alun

2016-08-01

Mars' mid-latitude glacier-like forms (GLFs) have undergone substantial mass loss and recession since a hypothesised last martian glacial maximum (LMGM) stand. To date, there is a lack of knowledge of the nature and timing of the LMGM, the subsequent mass loss and whether this mass loss has been spatially variable. Here, we present the results of a population-scale inventory of recessional GLFs, derived from analysis of 1293 GLFs3 identified within Context Camera (CTX) imagery, to assess the distribution and controls on GLF recession. A total of 436 GLFs were identified showing strong evidence of recession: 197 in the northern hemisphere and 239 in the southern hemisphere. Relative to their parent populations, recessional GLFs are over-represented in the low latitude belts between 25 and 40° and in areas of high relief, suggesting that these zones exert some control over GLF sensitivity and response to forcing. This analysis is complemented by the reconstruction of the maximum extent and morphology of a specific GLF for which High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) derived digital elevation data are available. Using Nye's (Nye, J.F. [1951] Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond, Ser. a - Mat. Phys. Sci., 207, 554-572) perfect plastic approximation of ice flow applied to multiple flow-lines under an optimum yield strength of 22 kPa, we calculate that the reconstructed GLF has lost an area of 6.86 km2 with a corresponding volume loss of 0.31 km3 since the LMGM. Assuming the loss reconstructed at this GLF occurred at all mid-latitude GLFs yields a total planetary ice loss from Mars' GLFs of 135 km3, similar to the current ice volume in the European Alps on Earth.

Oral Skills and Knowledge of Languages: A Resource in Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Negussie, Birgit

Ethiopia is a country with an old and rich oral tradition. The older generation is more knowledgeable than the younger in oral literature, and there is a need to document such knowledge before it is lost. Traditional health knowledge has come into focus as self-care for ailments has become more prevalent. Indigenous knowledge and its transmission…

The metaphorical and mythical use of the kidney in antiquity.

PubMed

Maio, G

1999-01-01

While the Syrians and the Arabs viewed the liver as the center of life, the kidneys, in contrast, held a primary place of importance in Israel. In Hebrew tradition, they were considered to be the most important internal organs along with the heart. In the Old Testament most frequently the kidneys are associated with the most inner stirrings of emotional life. But they are also viewed as the seat of the secret thoughts of the human; they are used as an omen metaphor, as a metaphor for moral discernment, for reflection and inspiration. This field of tension in metaphoric usage is resolved under the conception of the kidneys as life center. In the Old Testament the kidneys thus are primarily used as metaphor for the core of the person, for the area of greatest vulnerability. For us today, this metaphorical use of the kidneys has lost its meaning. One reason for its disappearance is certainly the monopoly of causal-analytic rationality in science of today. The kidney has developed from myth to organ, and with this transition a variety of perspectives and ways of looking at knowledge inherent in imaginative thought have been lost. But the metaphor uncovers a deeper level of truth, it represents another form of reconstruction of reality which needs not necessarily be subordinate to the scientific rationality. Today as well, these imaginative ideas can provide an approach to an essential level of reality which may otherwise remain hidden.

46 CFR Sec. 10 - Lost documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

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46 CFR Sec. 10 - Lost documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

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46 CFR Sec. 10 - Lost documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

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46 CFR Sec. 10 - Lost documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Lost documents. Sec. 10 Section 10 Shipping MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION A-NATIONAL SHIPPING AUTHORITY PROCEDURAL RULES FOR FINANCIAL... certification shall be placed on such copies: I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, this is a...

46 CFR Sec. 10 - Lost documents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

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Pluralism Lost: Sustainability's Unfortunate Fall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wimberley, Edward T.

2010-01-01

"Paradise Lost" explores the themes of human frailty, failure, and redemption following humanity's "original sin," eating of the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden. This original sin resulted in human beings being banished from an earthly paradise and compelled to wander eternally a world fraught with danger, despair,…

Holocaust memory reconstruction among bereaved parents.

PubMed

Cohen-Louck, Keren; Saka, Yael

2017-02-01

Many studies have examined the trauma bereaved parents experience. The current study focuses on the role that the Holocaust's memory plays in the bereavement experience of parents who have lost a child in a terrorist attack in Israel. Forty bereaved parents were interviewed, using semistructured in-depth interviews. Bereaved parents related to the Holocaust memory as a meaningful experience in their private bereavement. The parents expressed dialectic feelings concerning their loss, personal victimization on the one hand and personal strength, and growth on the other hand. It seems that memory reconstruction of the Holocaust can be used as a coping resource.

[Pulley for strengthening a muscle replacement operation across two joints in brachial plexus lesion: description of the surgical technique].

PubMed

Berger, A; Schaller, E; Becker, M H

1994-01-01

The reconstruction of lost muscle functions in cases of brachial plexus lesion is possible even in those cases where primary nerve reconstruction was not performed or unsuccessful. If there are only few motor nerves available, we prefer free latissimus dorsi transplantation or pedicled latissimus dorsi transposition for replacement of biceps and finger flexors. The combination of elbow flexion and finger flexion becomes possible when the transposed motor is passed around a suitable pulley in the elbow region like the flexor carpi ulnaris or carpi radialis.

Organizational Approaches to Managing Tacit Knowledge Loss of Legacy System Information Technology Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bitner, Michael

2012-01-01

Information Technology (IT) employment shortages may be related to employee retirement or normal attrition. Within IT job shortages, tacit knowledge is lost when employees retire or leave organizations. Tacit knowledge is unwritten or unspoken knowledge that is not easily articulated, and exists only with the individuals who obtain the knowledge…

Lost in Translation? Comparative Education Research and the Production of Academic Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazenod, Anna

2018-01-01

The worth of academic knowledge tends to be tested against global metrics of citations and articles published in high-ranking English language academic journals. This paper examines academic knowledge production in three local fields of research with different national languages (English, Finnish and French). It focuses on knowledge production on…

Universal recovery map for approximate Markov chains.

PubMed

Sutter, David; Fawzi, Omar; Renner, Renato

2016-02-01

A central question in quantum information theory is to determine how well lost information can be reconstructed. Crucially, the corresponding recovery operation should perform well without knowing the information to be reconstructed. In this work, we show that the quantum conditional mutual information measures the performance of such recovery operations. More precisely, we prove that the conditional mutual information I ( A : C | B ) of a tripartite quantum state ρ ABC can be bounded from below by its distance to the closest recovered state [Formula: see text], where the C -part is reconstructed from the B -part only and the recovery map [Formula: see text] merely depends on ρ BC . One particular application of this result implies the equivalence between two different approaches to define topological order in quantum systems.

Universal recovery map for approximate Markov chains

PubMed Central

Sutter, David; Fawzi, Omar; Renner, Renato

2016-01-01

A central question in quantum information theory is to determine how well lost information can be reconstructed. Crucially, the corresponding recovery operation should perform well without knowing the information to be reconstructed. In this work, we show that the quantum conditional mutual information measures the performance of such recovery operations. More precisely, we prove that the conditional mutual information I(A:C|B) of a tripartite quantum state ρABC can be bounded from below by its distance to the closest recovered state RB→BC(ρAB), where the C-part is reconstructed from the B-part only and the recovery map RB→BC merely depends on ρBC. One particular application of this result implies the equivalence between two different approaches to define topological order in quantum systems. PMID:27118889

Submillisievert Radiation Dose Coronary CT Angiography: Clinical Impact of the Knowledge-Based Iterative Model Reconstruction.

PubMed

Iyama, Yuji; Nakaura, Takeshi; Kidoh, Masafumi; Oda, Seitaro; Utsunomiya, Daisuke; Sakaino, Naritsugu; Tokuyasu, Shinichi; Osakabe, Hirokazu; Harada, Kazunori; Yamashita, Yasuyuki

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the noise and image quality of images reconstructed with a knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction (knowledge-based IMR) in ultra-low dose cardiac computed tomography (CT). We performed submillisievert radiation dose coronary CT angiography on 43 patients. We also performed a phantom study to evaluate the influence of object size with the automatic exposure control phantom. We reconstructed clinical and phantom studies with filtered back projection (FBP), hybrid iterative reconstruction (hybrid IR), and knowledge-based IMR. We measured effective dose of patients and compared CT number, image noise, and contrast noise ratio in ascending aorta of each reconstruction technique. We compared the relationship between image noise and body mass index for the clinical study, and object size for phantom study. The mean effective dose was 0.98 ± 0.25 mSv. The image noise of knowledge-based IMR images was significantly lower than those of FBP and hybrid IR images (knowledge-based IMR: 19.4 ± 2.8; FBP: 126.7 ± 35.0; hybrid IR: 48.8 ± 12.8, respectively) (P < .01). The contrast noise ratio of knowledge-based IMR images was significantly higher than those of FBP and hybrid IR images (knowledge-based IMR: 29.1 ± 5.4; FBP: 4.6 ± 1.3; hybrid IR: 13.1 ± 3.5, respectively) (P < .01). There were moderate correlations between image noise and body mass index in FBP (r = 0.57, P < .01) and hybrid IR techniques (r = 0.42, P < .01); however, these correlations were weak in knowledge-based IMR (r = 0.27, P < .01). Compared to FBP and hybrid IR, the knowledge-based IMR offers significant noise reduction and improvement in image quality in submillisievert radiation dose cardiac CT. Copyright © 2016 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fragmenting and Reconstructing Identity: Struggles of Appalachian Women Attempting To Reconnect to Their Native American Heritage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trollinger, Linda Burcham

This qualitative study drew on the stories and reflections of six Appalachian women of Native American descent to explore their experiences of reconnecting with their lost Native identity. This paper visualizes those experiences in light of the relationships between personal realities and structural influences. Historically, Native identities have…

Teacher Education in the Context of International Cooperation: The Case of East Timor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almeida, Patrícia Albergaria; Martinho, Mariana; Lopes, Betina

2012-01-01

East Timor has reached independence in 2002, after two periods of colonialism and after severe violence, especially following 1999. As a result, the country was almost destroyed, and lost its qualified workforce in all sectors, including education. To ensure national independence it is necessary to reconstruct and build the basic infrastructures…

Re-"Conceptualizing" Procedural Knowledge in Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Star, Jon R.

Many mathematics educators have lost sight of the critical importance of the mathematical understanding which underlies procedural competence, in part because we do not have a language to refer to this kind of understanding. The modal way of categorizing mathematical knowledge--conceptual and procedural knowledge--is limited in that: (a) it is…

The free scapular/parascapular flap as a reliable method of reconstruction in the head and neck region: a retrospective analysis of 130 reconstructions performed over a period of 5 years in a single department.

PubMed

Mitsimponas, Konstantinos T; Iliopoulos, Christos; Stockmann, Philipp; Bumiller, Lars; Nkenke, Emeka; Neukam, Friedrich W; Schlegel, Karl-Andreas

2014-07-01

The scapular/parascapular free flap was described by Saijo in 1978 and has since then been widely used in reconstructive procedures. This is a retrospective study, describing our experience with the use of free scapula/parascapular flap in 130 reconstructions over a period of 5 years in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the University Hospital of Erlangen. Demographical data, data regarding the underlying pathology, flap raising details, microvascular anastomoses, early and late postoperative complications will be presented. The flap was raised without problems and the donor site was primarily closed in all cases. Sixteen flaps required revision. Five transplants were lost (failure rate of 3.85%). Loss of part of the flap was observed in 3 cases (2.3%). The free scapula/parascapular flap is a versatile and reliable flap that can find many applications in the reconstruction of complex head and neck defects. Copyright © 2013 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pan-sharpening via compressed superresolution reconstruction and multidictionary learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Cheng; Liu, Fang; Li, Lingling; Jiao, Licheng; Hao, Hongxia; Shang, Ronghua; Li, Yangyang

2018-01-01

In recent compressed sensing (CS)-based pan-sharpening algorithms, pan-sharpening performance is affected by two key problems. One is that there are always errors between the high-resolution panchromatic (HRP) image and the linear weighted high-resolution multispectral (HRM) image, resulting in spatial and spectral information lost. The other is that the dictionary construction process depends on the nontruth training samples. These problems have limited applications to CS-based pan-sharpening algorithm. To solve these two problems, we propose a pan-sharpening algorithm via compressed superresolution reconstruction and multidictionary learning. Through a two-stage implementation, compressed superresolution reconstruction model reduces the error effectively between the HRP and the linear weighted HRM images. Meanwhile, the multidictionary with ridgelet and curvelet is learned for both the two stages in the superresolution reconstruction process. Since ridgelet and curvelet can better capture the structure and directional characteristics, a better reconstruction result can be obtained. Experiments are done on the QuickBird and IKONOS satellites images. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm is competitive compared with the recent CS-based pan-sharpening methods and other well-known methods.

Knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction: comparative image quality and radiation dose with a pediatric computed tomography phantom.

PubMed

Ryu, Young Jin; Choi, Young Hun; Cheon, Jung-Eun; Ha, Seongmin; Kim, Woo Sun; Kim, In-One

2016-03-01

CT of pediatric phantoms can provide useful guidance to the optimization of knowledge-based iterative reconstruction CT. To compare radiation dose and image quality of CT images obtained at different radiation doses reconstructed with knowledge-based iterative reconstruction, hybrid iterative reconstruction and filtered back-projection. We scanned a 5-year anthropomorphic phantom at seven levels of radiation. We then reconstructed CT data with knowledge-based iterative reconstruction (iterative model reconstruction [IMR] levels 1, 2 and 3; Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA), hybrid iterative reconstruction (iDose(4), levels 3 and 7; Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA) and filtered back-projection. The noise, signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio were calculated. We evaluated low-contrast resolutions and detectability by low-contrast targets and subjective and objective spatial resolutions by the line pairs and wire. With radiation at 100 peak kVp and 100 mAs (3.64 mSv), the relative doses ranged from 5% (0.19 mSv) to 150% (5.46 mSv). Lower noise and higher signal-to-noise, contrast-to-noise and objective spatial resolution were generally achieved in ascending order of filtered back-projection, iDose(4) levels 3 and 7, and IMR levels 1, 2 and 3, at all radiation dose levels. Compared with filtered back-projection at 100% dose, similar noise levels were obtained on IMR level 2 images at 24% dose and iDose(4) level 3 images at 50% dose, respectively. Regarding low-contrast resolution, low-contrast detectability and objective spatial resolution, IMR level 2 images at 24% dose showed comparable image quality with filtered back-projection at 100% dose. Subjective spatial resolution was not greatly affected by reconstruction algorithm. Reduced-dose IMR obtained at 0.92 mSv (24%) showed similar image quality to routine-dose filtered back-projection obtained at 3.64 mSv (100%), and half-dose iDose(4) obtained at 1.81 mSv.

3D frequency-domain ultrasound waveform tomography breast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandhu, Gursharan Yash; West, Erik; Li, Cuiping; Roy, Olivier; Duric, Neb

2017-03-01

Frequency-domain ultrasound waveform tomography is a promising method for the visualization and characterization of breast disease. It has previously been shown to accurately reconstruct the sound speed distributions of breasts of varying densities. The reconstructed images show detailed morphological and quantitative information that can help differentiate different types of breast disease including benign and malignant lesions. The attenuation properties of an ex vivo phantom have also been assessed. However, the reconstruction algorithms assumed a 2D geometry while the actual data acquisition process was not. Although clinically useful sound speed images can be reconstructed assuming this mismatched geometry, artifacts from the reconstruction process exist within the reconstructed images. This is especially true for registration across different modalities and when the 2D assumption is violated. For example, this happens when a patient's breast is rapidly sloping. It is also true for attenuation imaging where energy lost or gained out of the plane gets transformed into artifacts within the image space. In this paper, we will briefly review ultrasound waveform tomography techniques, give motivation for pursuing the 3D method, discuss the 3D reconstruction algorithm, present the results of 3D forward modeling, show the mismatch that is induced by the violation of 3D modeling via numerical simulations, and present a 3D inversion of a numerical phantom.

Virtual Reconstruction of Lost Architectures: from the Tls Survey to AR Visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quattrini, R.; Pierdicca, R.; Frontoni, E.; Barcaglioni, R.

2016-06-01

The exploitation of high quality 3D models for dissemination of archaeological heritage is currently an investigated topic, although Mobile Augmented Reality platforms for historical architecture are not available, allowing to develop low-cost pipelines for effective contents. The paper presents a virtual anastylosis, starting from historical sources and from 3D model based on TLS survey. Several efforts and outputs in augmented or immersive environments, exploiting this reconstruction, are discussed. The work demonstrates the feasibility of a 3D reconstruction approach for complex architectural shapes starting from point clouds and its AR/VR exploitation, allowing the superimposition with archaeological evidences. Major contributions consist in the presentation and the discussion of a pipeline starting from the virtual model, to its simplification showing several outcomes, comparing also the supported data qualities and advantages/disadvantages due to MAR and VR limitations.

Agricultural Knowledge in Urban and Resettled Communities: Applications to Social-Ecological Resilience and Environmental Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shava, Soul; Krasny, Marianne E.; Tidball, Keith G.; Zazu, Cryton

2010-01-01

In light of globalising trends toward urbanisation and resettlement, we explore how agricultural knowledges may be adapted and applied among relocated people. Although indigenous and related forms of practice-based knowledge may be temporarily lost as people adopt commercial agricultural practices and switch to non-agricultural livelihoods, they…

Determination of optimal imaging settings for urolithiasis CT using filtered back projection (FBP), statistical iterative reconstruction (IR) and knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction (IMR): a physical human phantom study

PubMed Central

Choi, Se Y; Ahn, Seung H; Choi, Jae D; Kim, Jung H; Lee, Byoung-Il; Kim, Jeong-In

2016-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare CT image quality for evaluating urolithiasis using filtered back projection (FBP), statistical iterative reconstruction (IR) and knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction (IMR) according to various scan parameters and radiation doses. Methods: A 5 × 5 × 5 mm3 uric acid stone was placed in a physical human phantom at the level of the pelvis. 3 tube voltages (120, 100 and 80 kV) and 4 current–time products (100, 70, 30 and 15 mAs) were implemented in 12 scans. Each scan was reconstructed with FBP, statistical IR (Levels 5–7) and knowledge-based IMR (soft-tissue Levels 1–3). The radiation dose, objective image quality and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were evaluated, and subjective assessments were performed. Results: The effective doses ranged from 0.095 to 2.621 mSv. Knowledge-based IMR showed better objective image noise and SNR than did FBP and statistical IR. The subjective image noise of FBP was worse than that of statistical IR and knowledge-based IMR. The subjective assessment scores deteriorated after a break point of 100 kV and 30 mAs. Conclusion: At the setting of 100 kV and 30 mAs, the radiation dose can be decreased by approximately 84% while keeping the subjective image assessment. Advances in knowledge: Patients with urolithiasis can be evaluated with ultralow-dose non-enhanced CT using a knowledge-based IMR algorithm at a substantially reduced radiation dose with the imaging quality preserved, thereby minimizing the risks of radiation exposure while providing clinically relevant diagnostic benefits for patients. PMID:26577542

The Grassroots Community in the Vanguard of Inclusion: The Post-Genocide Rwandan Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karangwa, Evariste; Ghesquiere, Pol; Devlieger, Patrick

2007-01-01

More than a decade has passed since Rwanda was plunged into the most atrocious genocide of our time. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost and many more were left in desperate conditions. The economic and social reconstruction of the country has since dominated the national agenda for recovery. It is within this reform agenda that this paper…

Reconstructing Multicultural Education through Personal Story: Transcending the Essentialist/Relativist Dichotomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lake, Robert

2010-01-01

Like so many other concepts in education, multiculturalism is a term that has lost its potency because of miseducative examples that serve to maintain Whiteness as the cultural norm. At first it offered great promise, but now as a "social science" quite often one is just exchanging one type of essentialism for another. The "packet" approach that…

Lost in Translation: Strategies Japanese Language Learners Use in Communicating Culturally Specific L1 Expressions in English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inoue, Noriyuki; Molina, Sarina Chugani

2011-01-01

Communicating in a second language could be seen as a process requiring the deconstruction and reconstruction of cultural meanings. If this is the case, how do second language (L2) learners express cultural meanings of their first language (L1) expressions that do not have semantically equivalent L2 expressions? Twenty-nine Japanese students…

Digital Capture and Fabrication Tools for Interpretation of Historic Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerman, A.; Glekas, E.

2017-08-01

Historic sites and the narratives they produce can have a lasting impact on the community through public engagement and education. However, when these sites are neglected and lost over time, opportunities to engage the public with the history of these places is lost with them. The interpretation of heritage that has been lost or forgotten is an emerging trend in humanities studies. This trend, in combination with technological advancements in digital media and representation, presents an innovative opportunity for historic preservation professionals to create new paths for public engagement. This paper discusses applications of photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and digital fabrication in digitally reconstructing interpretive models of the Larz Anderson Estate (now Larz Anderson Park). This site has changed dramatically through its transition from a private estate to a public park and recreation area, with few remnants of the original estate remaining extant. The above stated use of digital strategies aims to create digital and physical models of the estate's change over time, with the aim of interpreting the site's lost heritage for the public. Combining existing archival research and heritage documentation methods with these digital representation techniques tells the story of a place that no longer exists.

Ex vivo and in vitro synchrotron-based micro-imaging of biocompatible materials applied in dental surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rack, A.; Stiller, M.; Nelson, K.; Knabe, C.; Rack, T.; Zabler, S.; Dalügge, O.; Riesemeier, H.; Cecilia, A.; Goebbels, J.

2010-09-01

Biocompatible materials such as porous bioactive calcium phosphate ceramics or titanium are regularly applied in dental surgery: ceramics are used to support the local bone regeneration in a given defect, afterwards titanium implants replace lost teeth. The current gold standard for bone reconstruction in implant dentistry is the use of autogenous bone grafts. But the concept of guided bone regeneration (GBR) has become a predictable and well documented surgical approach using biomaterials (bioactive calcium phosphate ceramics) which qualify as bone substitutes for this kind of application as well. We applied high resolution synchrotron microtomography and subsequent 3d image analysis in order to investigate bone formation and degradation of the bone substitute material in a three-dimensional manner, extending the knowledge beyond the limits of classical histology. Following the bone regeneration, titanium-based implants to replace lost teeth call for high mechanical precision, especially when two-piece concepts are used in order to guaranty leak tightness. Here, synchrotron-based radiography in comparison with classical laboratory radiography yields high spatial resolution in combination with high contrast even when exploiting micro-sized features in these kind of highly attenuating objects. Therefore, we could study micro-gap formation at interfaces in two-piece dental implants with the specimen under different mechanical load. We could prove the existence of micro-gaps for implants with conical connections as well as to study the micromechanical behavior of the mating zone of conical implants during loading. The micro-gap is a potential issue of failure, i. e. bacterial leakage which can induce an inflammatory process.

Reconstruction of supracrestal alveolar bone lost as a result of severe chronic periodontitis. Five-year outcome: case report.

PubMed

Kotschy, Peter; Laky, Markus

2006-10-01

This patient presented with generalized severe chronic periodontitis. Conventional periodontal therapy would have left her compromised esthetically and anatomically, with growing interdental "black triangles." This prompted the authors to try to reconstruct the maxillary alveolar bone that had been lost in the previous three decades because of untreated periodontitis. To maintain the level and quality of the gingival margin, open flap surgery was performed in the maxilla soon after scaling and root planing. To gain access to the roots and bone surfaces, a flap was raised by intrasulcular incisions and the modified and simplified papilla preservation technique. After debridement, the root surfaces were conditioned and enamel matrix proteins were applied. Bovine bone mineral was placed in the infrabony defects and supracrestally (buccally, lingually, and interdentally) to help regenerate the lost alveolar bone. In addition, the defects around the maxillary anterior teeth were covered with a membrane. To prevent shrinkage of the gingiva, suspensory sutures were placed on the right central incisor and both left incisors so that the anterior flap would be positioned approximately 3 mm coronally. After surgery, the patient was advised to apply 1% chlorhexidine gel twice a day and to avoid brushing the surgical site for 4 weeks. Professional maintenance care was administered twice a week for 2 months and the patient was instructed to maintain a liquid diet for 4 weeks. The treatment outcome was evaluated clinically and radiographically at regular intervals for 5 years postsurgically. Periodontal conditions were stable and fulfilled the patient's desire to eliminate the pockets without compromising esthetics, particularly in the maxillary anterior.

Preserved ability to recognize keywords related to remote events in the absence of retrieval of relevant knowledge: a case of postencephalitic amnesia.

PubMed

Tsukiura, Takashi; Ohtake, Hiroya; Fujii, Toshikatsu; Miura, Rina; Ogawa, Tatsuji; Yamadori, Atsushi

2003-02-01

We describe a case of severe anterograde and retrograde amnesia resulting from herpes simplex encephalitis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed pathological changes in the bilateral hippocampi, parahippocampal gyri, fusiform gyri, medial temporal poles, posterior part of the cingulate gyri, and insula. The patient showed severe amnesia for autobiographical episodic memory in relation to events that had occurred throughout her life, but temporally graded amnesia for autobiographical semantic memory, and severe amnesia without a temporal gradient for public events and famous people. However, using a multiple-choice method, she showed a high level of accuracy when choosing keywords related to public or personal events, although this did not prompt her recollection of the events. An important indication of these results is that, even with severe retrograde amnesia, memories of past events are not completely lost. We propose that an event may be stored in a fragmented form, consisting of many components, and that normal recall of an event may require recombination or reconstruction of these components. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science (USA)

Examining a Culture from Museum Artifacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgs, Peter L.; McNeal, Shannon

2006-01-01

Children can learn a lot about social studies by "reconstructing a culture" in the classroom. To reconstruct a culture, students can make use of prior knowledge to build a hierarchy of concepts about culture as well as learn social science subject knowledge appropriate to their grade level. In addition, they can have the tactile…

Knowledge transfer to builders in post-disaster housing reconstruction in West-Sumatra of Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayat, Benny; Afif, Zal

2017-11-01

Housing is the most affected sector by disasters as can be observed after the 2009 earthquake in West Sumatra province in Indonesia. As in Indonesian construction industry, the housing post-disaster reconstruction is influenced by knowledge and skills of builders or laborers, or locally known as `tukang'. After the earthquake there were trainings to transfer knowledge about earthquake-safe house structure for the builders in the post-disaster reconstruction. This study examined the effectiveness of the training in term of understanding of the builders and application of the new knowledge. Ten semi-structured interviews with the builders were conducted in this study. The results indicate that the builders with prior housing construction experience can absorb and understand the new knowledge about earthquake-safe house structure. Combination of lecturing and practice sessions also help the builders to understand the knowledge. However, findings of this research also suggest there is a problem in implementation of the new knowledge. Utilization of earthquake-safe house structure may leads to a rise in house cost. As a result, some house owners prefer to save money than to adopt the new knowledge.

Modeling Being "Lost": Imperfect Situation Awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, Victor E.

2011-01-01

Being "lost" is an exemplar of imperfect Situation Awareness/Situation Understanding (SA/SU) -- information/knowledge that is uncertain, incomplete, and/or just wrong. Being "lost" may be a geo-spatial condition - not knowing/being wrong about where to go or how to get there. More broadly, being "lost" can serve as a metaphor for uncertainty and/or inaccuracy - not knowing/being wrong about how one fits into a larger world view, what one wants to do, or how to do it. This paper discusses using agent based modeling (ABM) to explore imperfect SA/SU, simulating geo-spatially "lost" intelligent agents trying to navigate in a virtual world. Each agent has a unique "mental map" -- its idiosyncratic view of its geo-spatial environment. Its decisions are based on this idiosyncratic view, but behavior outcomes are based on ground truth. Consequently, the rate and degree to which an agent's expectations diverge from ground truth provide measures of that agent's SA/SU.

Cultural issues in post-disaster reconstruction: the case of Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Jen-Jen; Lin, Wan-I

2016-10-01

Most members of Taiwan's indigenous communities live in areas that are prone to natural disasters. Yet, due to their marginalised cultural, economic and political status, each time such calamities strike, any assistance they receive is usually provided without considering their actual needs. The areas hardest hit by Typhoon Morakot in August 2009 were the indigenous villages in the southern and eastern parts of the island. After the initial emergency relief efforts had been completed, there remained the highly challenging task of reconstruction and the resettlement of those who lost their homes and livelihoods. This paper examines the cultural conflicts that arose during the reconstruction process, with special emphasis on the participation of Taiwan's indigenous communities and their capacity for resilience. It was found that community participation and identification are key issues in effective disaster governance. © 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

Significance of the breast to the individual and society.

PubMed

Spencer, K W

1996-01-01

The breast is the most important external identification of femininity, and the loss of a breast can have devastating psychological effects on a woman. A woman who has lost a breast through cancer may feel self-conscious, insecure, inferior to other women, or undesirable to men. These body image concerns are key reasons why a woman will be motivated to pursue breast reconstruction.

Free flap reconstruction for diabetic foot limb salvage.

PubMed

Sato, Tomoya; Yana, Yuichiro; Ichioka, Shigeru

2017-12-01

Although free flap is gaining popularity for the reconstruction of diabetic foot ulcers, it is unclear whether free flap reconstruction increases the chances of postoperative independent ambulation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between free flap success and postoperative ambulation. This study reviewed 23 cases of free flap reconstruction for diabetic foot ulcers between January 2007 and March 2014. Free rectus abdominis, latissimus dorsi, and anterolateral thigh flaps were used in ten, eight, and five patients, respectively. A comparison was made between free flap success and postoperative independent ambulation using Fisher's exact test. Two patients developed congestive heart failure with fatal consequences within 14 days postoperatively, resulting in an in-hospital mortality rate of 8.7%. Five patients lost their flaps (21.7%). Of the 16 patients who had flap success, 12 achieved independent ambulation. Five patients with flap loss did not achieve independent ambulation, except one patient who underwent secondary flap reconstruction using a distally based sural flap. Fisher's exact test revealed that independent ambulation was associated with free flap success (p = 0.047). The present study indicates that free flap reconstruction may increase the possibility of independent ambulation for patients with extensive tissue defects due to diabetic ulcers. Intermediate limb salvage rates and independent ambulation rates were favourable in patients with successful reconstruction. The use of foot orthoses and a team approach with pedorthists were effective to prevent recurrence.

The role of social and economic context, and local knowledge for post-disaster reconstruction of high-mountain hazards: a case study from the Peruvian Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dulce Burga, María; Vicuña, Luis; Jurt, Christine; Huggel, Christian

2015-04-01

Following the occurrence of an extreme event, specific and immediate actions are oriented to relieve basic needs and guarantee the subsistence of daily life. One of the priorities is focused on the reconstruction and relocation to areas away from possible hazard. However, on a long-term perspective, new contexts, concerns and priorities among the affected as well as the immigrated population foster new risk perceptions, which in many cases may include the returning or settlement in areas exposed to hazards. In Santa Teresa (Cusco, Peru), risk has been part of its history. In 1998, two very large debris flows from deglaciated areas, in January and February respectively, destroyed the old city located by the riverside of the Sacsara river; including the loss of lives, housing, loss of infrastructure and roads, electricity and water cuts, among other important losses. Today, the new city is located on a terrace above the river reach; and their current inhabitants, mainly migrants from different cities of the region of Cusco, have a different perspective of this experience. On the contrary, many of the inhabitants who experienced these events have returned to the risk areas where they lost everything, or they have settled in disaster prone areas. There is a set of factors, such as local knowledge (regarding space, economy, etc.) and new social contexts (such as the rise of tourism in risk areas, for example) that are implicit in the current narratives regarding hazard and risk. This work purposes the following questions: how does the social and economic context, as well as local knowledge influence risk perceptions? Are there any differences concerning risk perceptions between groups who decided to live in disaster prone areas and groups who are less exposed to risk? And which are the strategies within the groups regarding risk, considering how this concept is understood among them? In order to analyze these questions, this work is based on a case study in the Salkantay catchments, one of the five catchments of Santa Teresa district that was most affected by the debris flows. The case study was carried out applying ethnographic methods with a 3-month fieldwork in the area. The results show that settlement in disaster prone areas respond to priorities such as the increment of touristic services, the lack of land security, the accessibility to farms, among other factors. Moreover, even physical risks are not the main core of the inhabitants' concerns, they are triggering other types of risks, which are object of local strategies and organization. Thus, this study seeks to highlight the importance of incorporating cultural and social contextualization into post-disaster recovery and the process of reconstruction, especially in a long-term perspective of risk reduction efforts. Moreover, this aims to contribute to a wider understanding of risks from local perspectives and local knowledge.

Impact of reconstructive transplantation on the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

PubMed

Siemionow, Maria

2012-10-01

This article summarizes the current knowledge on the new developing field of reconstructive transplantation. A brief outline of vascularized composite allografts (VCA) such as human hand, face, larynx, and abdominal wall transplants is provided. The clinical applications and indications for these new reconstructive transplantation procedures are outlined. The advantages, disadvantages, and complications and concerns surrounding clinical VCA are discussed. Finally, the impact of reconstructive transplantation on the future of plastic and reconstructive surgery is presented. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Pedicled versus free TRAM flap for breast reconstruction].

PubMed

Galla, T J; Lukas, B; Feller, A M

1999-03-01

In breast reconstruction, the free TRAM-flap offers many advantages over the pedicled TRAM-flap. Due to its superior perfusion, the free flap rarely develops necrosis. Shaping of the flap is easier due to the lack of the thick muscle pedicle. Because the rectus muscle is spared, there is minimal donor site morbidity. However, the necessary microvascular anastomoses reduced the acceptance of the free TRAM-flap. During a 13-months period, 51 breast reconstructions were performed in 41 patients, 31 unilateral and ten bilateral. 45 flaps served for delayed reconstruction and six flaps for immediate reconstruction. The operations were performed by two teams working simultaneously. The average operating time was 3.9 hours for unilateral and 6.9 hours for bilateral delayed reconstruction. For immediate reconstruction, 6.2 and 6.3 hours were required for uni- and bilateral procedures, respectively. In 38 flaps, the thoracodorsal vessels served as recipient vessels; 13 flaps were anastomosed to the internal mammary artery and vein. Postoperative complications were observed in 13 patients. Three vessel anastomoses had to be revised. In one flap, a partial necrosis occurred; in two flaps hematoma evacuation was necessary. Two patients suffered from fat necroses at the abdomen and one umbilicus was lost. Skin irritations and seromas at the abdomen occurred in five patients. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed in one patient three weeks postoperatively. Abdominal hernias or bulging in the epigastric area were not observed up to 15 months after reconstruction. These results reveal a low complication rate for breast reconstruction with the free TRAM-flap. The advantages of this technique as compared to the pedicled technique are discussed.

Metal artifact correction for x-ray computed tomography using kV and selective MV imaging.

PubMed

Wu, Meng; Keil, Andreas; Constantin, Dragos; Star-Lack, Josh; Zhu, Lei; Fahrig, Rebecca

2014-12-01

The overall goal of this work is to improve the computed tomography (CT) image quality for patients with metal implants or fillings by completing the missing kilovoltage (kV) projection data with selectively acquired megavoltage (MV) data that do not suffer from photon starvation. When both of these imaging systems, which are available on current radiotherapy devices, are used, metal streak artifacts are avoided, and the soft-tissue contrast is restored, even for regions in which the kV data cannot contribute any information. Three image-reconstruction methods, including two filtered back-projection (FBP)-based analytic methods and one iterative method, for combining kV and MV projection data from the two on-board imaging systems of a radiotherapy device are presented in this work. The analytic reconstruction methods modify the MV data based on the information in the projection or image domains and then patch the data onto the kV projections for a FBP reconstruction. In the iterative reconstruction, the authors used dual-energy (DE) penalized weighted least-squares (PWLS) methods to simultaneously combine the kV/MV data and perform the reconstruction. The authors compared kV/MV reconstructions to kV-only reconstructions using a dental phantom with fillings and a hip-implant numerical phantom. Simulation results indicated that dual-energy sinogram patch FBP and the modified dual-energy PWLS method can successfully suppress metal streak artifacts and restore information lost due to photon starvation in the kV projections. The root-mean-square errors of soft-tissue patterns obtained using combined kV/MV data are 10-15 Hounsfield units smaller than those of the kV-only images, and the structural similarity index measure also indicates a 5%-10% improvement in the image quality. The added dose from the MV scan is much less than the dose from the kV scan if a high efficiency MV detector is assumed. The authors have shown that it is possible to improve the image quality of kV CTs for patients with metal implants or fillings by completing the missing kV projection data with selectively acquired MV data that do not suffer from photon starvation. Numerical simulations demonstrated that dual-energy sinogram patch FBP and a modified kV/MV PWLS method can successfully suppress metal streak artifacts and restore information lost due to photon starvation in kV projections. Combined kV/MV images may permit the improved delineation of structures of interest in CT images for patients with metal implants or fillings.

Piglets born from handmade cloning, an innovative cloning method without micromanipulation.

PubMed

Du, Y; Kragh, P M; Zhang, Y; Li, J; Schmidt, M; Bøgh, I B; Zhang, X; Purup, S; Jørgensen, A L; Pedersen, A M; Villemoes, K; Yang, H; Bolund, L; Vajta, G

2007-11-01

Porcine handmade cloning (HMC), a simplified alternative of micromanipulation based traditional cloning (TC) has been developed in multiple phases during the past years, but the final evidence of its biological value, births of piglets was missing. Here we report the first births of healthy piglets after transfer of blastocysts produced by HMC. As a cumulative effect of technical optimization, 64.3+/-2.3 (mean+/-S.E.M.) reconstructed embryos from 151.3+/-4.8 oocytes could be obtained after 3-4h manual work, including 1h pause between fusion and activation. About half (50.1+/-2.8%, n=16) of HMC reconstructed embryos developed to blastocysts with an average cell number of 77+/-3 (n=26) after 7 days in vitro culture (IVC). According to our knowledge, this is the highest in vitro developmental rate after porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). A total of 416 blastocysts from HMC, mixed with 150 blastocysts from TC using a cell line from a different breed were transferred surgically to nine synchronized recipients. Out of the four pregnancies (44.4%) two were lost, while two pregnancies went to term and litters of 3 and 10 piglets were delivered by Caesarean section, with live birth/transferred embryo efficiency of 17.2% (10/58) for HMC. Although more in vivo experiments are still needed to further stabilize the system, our data proves that porcine HMC may result in birth of healthy offspring. Future comparative examinations are required to prove the value of the new technique for large-scale application.

Architectures of astronomical observation: From Sternwarte Kassel (circa 1560) to the Radcliffe Observatory (1772)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Alistair Marcus

Historical observatories did not merely shelter astronomers and their instruments, but interacted with them to shape the range and outcome of astronomical observations. This claim is demonstrated through both improvised and purpose-built observatories from the late sixteenth century to the late eighteenth. The improvised observatories involve various grades of architectural intervention from simple re-purposing of a generic space through to radical renovation and customisation. Some of the observatories examined were never built, and some survive only in textual and visual representations, but all nonetheless reflect astronomers' thinking about what observatories needed to provide, and allow us to reconstruct aspects of what it was like to work in them. Historical observatories hence offer a physical record of observational practices. Reconstructing lost practices and the tacit knowledge involved shows how observatories actively contributed to observations by accommodating, supporting and sheltering observers and instruments. We also see how observatories compromised observations by constraining views and free movement, by failing to provide sufficient support, by being expensive or otherwise difficult to obtain, modify or replace. Some observatories were modified many times, accumulating layers of renovation and addition that reflect both advancement and succession of multiple research programs. Such observatories materially and spatially manifest how observational astronomy developed and also also how observatories, like other buildings, respond to changing needs. Examining observatories for their architectural functions and functional shortcomings connects observational practices, spatial configurations and astronomical instrumentation. Such examination shows that spatial contexts, and hence the buildings that define them, are not passive: to the contrary, observatories are active protagonists in the development and practise of observational astronomy.

Modern principles of reconstructive surgery for advanced head and neck tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulbakin, D. E.; Choinzonov, E. L.; Mukhamedov, M. R.; Garbukov, E. U.; Shtin, V. I.; Havkin, N. M.; Vasilev, R. V.

2017-09-01

Background: Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for head and neck cancer. Reconstruction after cancer surgery can help to restore both the appearance and function of the affected areas. Materials and methods: From 2008 to 2016, a total of 120 reconstructive surgeries were performed at the Department of Head and Neck Tumors of Tomsk Cancer Research Institute. The majority of patients had locally advanced cancer (T3 stage in 49 patients and T4 stage in 41 patients). The localizations of the defects requiring reconstruction were as follows: oral cavity—26 cases; tongue—24 cases; skin (including defects of lower lip)—12 cases; maxilla—14 cases; larynx and hypopharynx—12 cases; lips—6 cases, cheek—11 cases, and mandibulla—5 cases. Various free flaps (83%) and pedicle flaps (17%) were used for the reconstruction of the large defects following extirpation of head and neck malignant tumors. In 15 cases (13%), the implants from titanium and titanium nickelide (TiNi) were used to restore the supporting and skeletal functions of the reconstructed region. We used 3D model of the patient's skull for a more precise planning of the reconstruction of maxillofacial bone defects. Results: Good functional results were achieved in most cases. Full flap necrosis was observed in 12 cases (10%). Fibular flap necroses were noted in 8 cases (7%). Conclusions: Single-stage reconstructions of the lost structures after tumor resection significantly improve survival of head and neck cancer patients without causing significant functional and aesthetic damage, as well as contribute to quick rehabilitation of these patients and improvement of their social status. To reduce postoperative complications after reconstructive surgery, it is necessary to carefully select the appropriate reconstructive implant materials.

Fully automated reconstruction of three-dimensional vascular tree structures from two orthogonal views using computational algorithms and productionrules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Iching; Sun, Ying

1992-10-01

A system for reconstructing 3-D vascular structure from two orthogonally projected images is presented. The formidable problem of matching segments between two views is solved using knowledge of the epipolar constraint and the similarity of segment geometry and connectivity. The knowledge is represented in a rule-based system, which also controls the operation of several computational algorithms for tracking segments in each image, representing 2-D segments with directed graphs, and reconstructing 3-D segments from matching 2-D segment pairs. Uncertain reasoning governs the interaction between segmentation and matching; it also provides a framework for resolving the matching ambiguities in an iterative way. The system was implemented in the C language and the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) expert system shell. Using video images of a tree model, the standard deviation of reconstructed centerlines was estimated to be 0.8 mm (1.7 mm) when the view direction was parallel (perpendicular) to the epipolar plane. Feasibility of clinical use was shown using x-ray angiograms of a human chest phantom. The correspondence of vessel segments between two views was accurate. Computational time for the entire reconstruction process was under 30 s on a workstation. A fully automated system for two-view reconstruction that does not require the a priori knowledge of vascular anatomy is demonstrated.

Reconstructive surgery with chin block graft and esthetic rehabilitation of missing anterior tooth.

PubMed

Bansal, Preetika; Bansal, Pardeep

2014-03-01

The complete and predictable restoration of the periodontium following infection or trauma remains a critical objective in regenerative therapy. Bone grafts remain among the most widely used therapeutic strategies for the correction of periodontal osseous defects. For periodontally compromised anterior teeth, reconstruction of the ridge along with natural tooth pontic serves both the purpose of regeneration and esthetics. The right lower central incisor of a 28-year-old male that was periodontally compromised was extracted. Autogenous chin grafting followed by retrograde surgery of the extracted tooth and replacement by natural tooth pontic was done. After 6 months, there was significant improvement in clinical picture and bone fill. This procedure provided excellent regenerative and esthetic results for the periodontally compromised lost anterior tooth.

Conceptualising forensic science and forensic reconstruction. Part II: The critical interaction between research, policy/law and practice.

PubMed

Morgan, R M

2017-11-01

This paper builds on the FoRTE conceptual model presented in part I to address the forms of knowledge that are integral to the four components of the model. Articulating the different forms of knowledge within effective forensic reconstructions is valuable. It enables a nuanced approach to the development and use of evidence bases to underpin decision-making at every stage of a forensic reconstruction by enabling transparency in the reporting of inferences. It also enables appropriate methods to be developed to ensure quality and validity. It is recognised that the domains of practice, research, and policy/law intersect to form the nexus where forensic science is situated. Each domain has a distinctive infrastructure that influences the production and application of different forms of knowledge in forensic science. The channels that can enable the interaction between these domains, enhance the impact of research in theory and practice, increase access to research findings, and support quality are presented. The particular strengths within the different domains to deliver problem solving forensic reconstructions are thereby identified and articulated. It is argued that a conceptual understanding of forensic reconstruction that draws on the full range of both explicit and tacit forms of knowledge, and incorporates the strengths of the different domains pertinent to forensic science, offers a pathway to harness the full value of trace evidence for context sensitive, problem-solving forensic applications. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interior region-of-interest reconstruction using a small, nearly piecewise constant subregion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taguchi, Katsuyuki; Xu Jingyan; Srivastava, Somesh

2011-03-15

Purpose: To develop a method to reconstruct an interior region-of-interest (ROI) image with sufficient accuracy that uses differentiated backprojection (DBP) projection onto convex sets (POCS) [H. Kudo et al., ''Tiny a priori knowledge solves the interior problem in computed tomography'', Phys. Med. Biol. 53, 2207-2231 (2008)] and a tiny knowledge that there exists a nearly piecewise constant subregion. Methods: The proposed method first employs filtered backprojection to reconstruct an image on which a tiny region P with a small variation in the pixel values is identified inside the ROI. Total variation minimization [H. Yu and G. Wang, ''Compressed sensing basedmore » interior tomography'', Phys. Med. Biol. 54, 2791-2805 (2009); W. Han et al., ''A general total variation minimization theorem for compressed sensing based interior tomography'', Int. J. Biomed. Imaging 2009, Article 125871 (2009)] is then employed to obtain pixel values in the subregion P, which serve as a priori knowledge in the next step. Finally, DBP-POCS is performed to reconstruct f(x,y) inside the ROI. Clinical data and the reconstructed image obtained by an x-ray computed tomography system (SOMATOM Definition; Siemens Healthcare) were used to validate the proposed method. The detector covers an object with a diameter of {approx}500 mm. The projection data were truncated either moderately to limit the detector coverage to diameter 350 mm of the object or severely to cover diameter 199 mm. Images were reconstructed using the proposed method. Results: The proposed method provided ROI images with correct pixel values in all areas except near the edge of the ROI. The coefficient of variation, i.e., the root mean square error divided by the mean pixel values, was less than 2.0% or 4.5% with the moderate or severe truncation cases, respectively, except near the boundary of the ROI. Conclusions: The proposed method allows for reconstructing interior ROI images with sufficient accuracy with a tiny knowledge that there exists a nearly piecewise constant subregion.« less

Dose reduction potential of iterative reconstruction algorithms in neck CTA-a simulation study.

PubMed

Ellmann, Stephan; Kammerer, Ferdinand; Allmendinger, Thomas; Brand, Michael; Janka, Rolf; Hammon, Matthias; Lell, Michael M; Uder, Michael; Kramer, Manuel

2016-10-01

This study aimed to determine the degree of radiation dose reduction in neck CT angiography (CTA) achievable with Sinogram-affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE) algorithms. 10 consecutive patients scheduled for neck CTA were included in this study. CTA images of the external carotid arteries either were reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) at full radiation dose level or underwent simulated dose reduction by proprietary reconstruction software. The dose-reduced images were reconstructed using either SAFIRE 3 or SAFIRE 5 and compared with full-dose FBP images in terms of vessel definition. 5 observers performed a total of 3000 pairwise comparisons. SAFIRE allowed substantial radiation dose reductions in neck CTA while maintaining vessel definition. The possible levels of radiation dose reduction ranged from approximately 34 to approximately 90% and depended on the SAFIRE algorithm strength and the size of the vessel of interest. In general, larger vessels permitted higher degrees of radiation dose reduction, especially with higher SAFIRE strength levels. With small vessels, the superiority of SAFIRE 5 over SAFIRE 3 was lost. Neck CTA can be performed with substantially less radiation dose when SAFIRE is applied. The exact degree of radiation dose reduction should be adapted to the clinical question, in particular to the smallest vessel needing excellent definition.

Reconstruction of full high-resolution HSQC using signal split in aliased spectra.

PubMed

Foroozandeh, Mohammadali; Jeannerat, Damien

2015-11-01

Resolution enhancement is a long-sought goal in NMR spectroscopy. In conventional multidimensional NMR experiments, such as the (1) H-(13) C HSQC, the resolution in the indirect dimensions is typically 100 times lower as in 1D spectra because it is limited by the experimental time. Reducing the spectral window can significantly increase the resolution but at the cost of ambiguities in frequencies as a result of spectral aliasing. Fortunately, this information is not completely lost and can be retrieved using methods in which chemical shifts are encoded in the aliased spectra and decoded after processing to reconstruct high-resolution (1) H-(13) C HSQC spectrum with full spectral width and a resolution similar to that of 1D spectra. We applied a new reconstruction method, RHUMBA (reconstruction of high-resolution using multiplet built on aliased spectra), to spectra obtained from the differential evolution for non-ambiguous aliasing-HSQC and the new AMNA (additional modulation for non-ambiguous aliasing)-HSQC experiments. The reconstructed spectra significantly facilitate both manual and automated spectral analyses and structure elucidation based on heteronuclear 2D experiments. The resolution is enhanced by two orders of magnitudes without the usual complications due to spectral aliasing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of Low-Dose MDCT and Iterative Reconstruction on Trabecular Bone Microstructure Assessment.

PubMed

Kopp, Felix K; Holzapfel, Konstantin; Baum, Thomas; Nasirudin, Radin A; Mei, Kai; Garcia, Eduardo G; Burgkart, Rainer; Rummeny, Ernst J; Kirschke, Jan S; Noël, Peter B

2016-01-01

We investigated the effects of low-dose multi detector computed tomography (MDCT) in combination with statistical iterative reconstruction algorithms on trabecular bone microstructure parameters. Twelve donated vertebrae were scanned with the routine radiation exposure used in our department (standard-dose) and a low-dose protocol. Reconstructions were performed with filtered backprojection (FBP) and maximum-likelihood based statistical iterative reconstruction (SIR). Trabecular bone microstructure parameters were assessed and statistically compared for each reconstruction. Moreover, fracture loads of the vertebrae were biomechanically determined and correlated to the assessed microstructure parameters. Trabecular bone microstructure parameters based on low-dose MDCT and SIR significantly correlated with vertebral bone strength. There was no significant difference between microstructure parameters calculated on low-dose SIR and standard-dose FBP images. However, the results revealed a strong dependency on the regularization strength applied during SIR. It was observed that stronger regularization might corrupt the microstructure analysis, because the trabecular structure is a very small detail that might get lost during the regularization process. As a consequence, the introduction of SIR for trabecular bone microstructure analysis requires a specific optimization of the regularization parameters. Moreover, in comparison to other approaches, superior noise-resolution trade-offs can be found with the proposed methods.

Estimation of the energy loss at the blades in rowing: common assumptions revisited.

PubMed

Hofmijster, Mathijs; De Koning, Jos; Van Soest, A J

2010-08-01

In rowing, power is inevitably lost as kinetic energy is imparted to the water during push-off with the blades. Power loss is estimated from reconstructed blade kinetics and kinematics. Traditionally, it is assumed that the oar is completely rigid and that force acts strictly perpendicular to the blade. The aim of the present study was to evaluate how reconstructed blade kinematics, kinetics, and average power loss are affected by these assumptions. A calibration experiment with instrumented oars and oarlocks was performed to establish relations between measured signals and oar deformation and blade force. Next, an on-water experiment was performed with a single female world-class rower rowing at constant racing pace in an instrumented scull. Blade kinematics, kinetics, and power loss under different assumptions (rigid versus deformable oars; absence or presence of a blade force component parallel to the oar) were reconstructed. Estimated power losses at the blades are 18% higher when parallel blade force is incorporated. Incorporating oar deformation affects reconstructed blade kinematics and instantaneous power loss, but has no effect on estimation of power losses at the blades. Assumptions on oar deformation and blade force direction have implications for the reconstructed blade kinetics and kinematics. Neglecting parallel blade forces leads to a substantial underestimation of power losses at the blades.

Kinematics of a former oceanic plate of the Neotethys revealed by deformation in the Ulukışla basin (Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürer, Derya; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Matenco, Liviu; Corfu, Fernando; Cascella, Antonio

2016-10-01

Kinematic reconstruction of modern ocean basins shows that since Pangea breakup a vast area in the Neotethyan realm was lost to subduction. Here we develop a first-order methodology to reconstruct the kinematic history of the lost plates of the Neotethys, using records of subducted plates accreted to (former) overriding plates, combined with the kinematic analysis of overriding plate extension and shortening. In Cretaceous-Paleogene times, most of Anatolia formed a separate tectonic plate—here termed "Anadolu Plate"—that floored part of the Neotethyan oceanic realm, separated from Eurasia and Africa by subduction zones. We study the sedimentary and structural history of the Ulukışla basin (Turkey); overlying relics of this plate to reconstruct the tectonic history of the oceanic plate and its surrounding trenches, relative to Africa and Eurasia. Our results show that Upper Cretaceous-Oligocene sediments were deposited on the newly dated suprasubduction zone ophiolites ( 92 Ma), which are underlain by mélanges, metamorphosed and nonmetamorphosed oceanic and continental rocks derived from the African Plate. The Ulukışla basin underwent latest Cretaceous-Paleocene N-S and E-W extension until 56 Ma. Following a short period of tectonic quiescence, Eo-Oligocene N-S contraction formed the folded structure of the Bolkar Mountains, as well as subordinate contractional structures within the basin. We conceptually explain the transition from extension, to quiescence, to shortening as slowdown of the Anadolu Plate relative to the northward advancing Africa-Anadolu trench resulting from collision of continental rocks accreted to Anadolu with Eurasia, until the gradual demise of the Anadolu-Eurasia subduction zone.

Measuring the Interest of German Students in Agriculture: The Role of Knowledge, Nature Experience, Disgust, and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickel, Malte; Strack, Micha; Bögeholz, Susanne

2015-01-01

Modern knowledge-based societies, especially their younger members, have largely lost their bonds to farming. However, learning about agriculture and its interrelations with environmental issues may be facilitated by students' individual interests in agriculture. To date, an adequate instrument to investigate agricultural interests has been…

Optimization of the volume reconstruction for classical Tomo-PIV algorithms (MART, BIMART and SMART): synthetic and experimental studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, L.; Tremblais, B.; David, L.

2014-03-01

Optimization of multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART), simultaneous MART and block iterative MART reconstruction techniques was carried out on synthetic and experimental data. Different criteria were defined to improve the preprocessing of the initial images. Knowledge of how each reconstruction parameter influences the quality of particle volume reconstruction and computing time is the key in Tomo-PIV. These criteria were applied to a real case, a jet in cross flow, and were validated.

An Exploration of Indigenous Knowledge Related to Physics Concepts Held by Senior Citizens in Chókwé, Mozambique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baquete, Aguiar Muambalane; Grayson, Diane; Mutimucuio, Inocente Vasco

2016-01-01

Indigenous knowledge is at risk of being lost in many parts of the world. It is important to find ways to preserve it for both cultural and practical reasons, since it is often well-suited to addressing local needs using available resources. If indigenous knowledge can be incorporated into school science curricula, it can also provide familiar…

A new statistical model for subgrid dispersion in large eddy simulations of particle-laden flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muela, Jordi; Lehmkuhl, Oriol; Pérez-Segarra, Carles David; Oliva, Asensi

2016-09-01

Dispersed multiphase turbulent flows are present in many industrial and commercial applications like internal combustion engines, turbofans, dispersion of contaminants, steam turbines, etc. Therefore, there is a clear interest in the development of models and numerical tools capable of performing detailed and reliable simulations about these kind of flows. Large Eddy Simulations offer good accuracy and reliable results together with reasonable computational requirements, making it a really interesting method to develop numerical tools for particle-laden turbulent flows. Nonetheless, in multiphase dispersed flows additional difficulties arises in LES, since the effect of the unresolved scales of the continuous phase over the dispersed phase is lost due to the filtering procedure. In order to solve this issue a model able to reconstruct the subgrid velocity seen by the particles is required. In this work a new model for the reconstruction of the subgrid scale effects over the dispersed phase is presented and assessed. This innovative methodology is based in the reconstruction of statistics via Probability Density Functions (PDFs).

A modified discrete algebraic reconstruction technique for multiple grey image reconstruction for limited angle range tomography.

PubMed

Liang, Zhiting; Guan, Yong; Liu, Gang; Chen, Xiangyu; Li, Fahu; Guo, Pengfei; Tian, Yangchao

2016-03-01

The `missing wedge', which is due to a restricted rotation range, is a major challenge for quantitative analysis of an object using tomography. With prior knowledge of the grey levels, the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART) is able to reconstruct objects accurately with projections in a limited angle range. However, the quality of the reconstructions declines as the number of grey levels increases. In this paper, a modified DART (MDART) was proposed, in which each independent region of homogeneous material was chosen as a research object, instead of the grey values. The grey values of each discrete region were estimated according to the solution of the linear projection equations. The iterative process of boundary pixels updating and correcting the grey values of each region was executed alternately. Simulation experiments of binary phantoms as well as multiple grey phantoms show that MDART is capable of achieving high-quality reconstructions with projections in a limited angle range. The interesting advancement of MDART is that neither prior knowledge of the grey values nor the number of grey levels is necessary.

Recent eolian activity and paleoclimate fluctuations in the Ferris Lost Soldier Area, South-Central Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaylord, D. R.

1983-09-01

The Ferris Dune Fields were examined. Sand dunes are especially valuable in paleoclimate reconstructions because they: (1) bury and preserve datable materials and artifacts; (2) respond to even subtle changes in wind velocity and direction as reflected both in external morphology and internal structures; and (3) remain unconsolidated, making them amenable to easy textural and compositional examination. The valley of Clear Creek in the Ferris Dunes reveals a relatively continuous Holocene section of interbedded dune and interdunal pond deposits. Radiocarbon dates from the interdunal pond strata at Clear Creek, theoretical sand dune migration rates, compositional analysis of periglacial sand wedges, and relative dating of actively migrating parabolic dunes reveals a general sequence of geologic-climatic events that affected the Ferris-Lost Soldier area. The most recent major reactivaton of dunes occurred approximately 290 years ago.

Biomaterial-mesenchymal stem cell constructs for immunomodulation in composite tissue engineering.

PubMed

Hanson, Summer; D'Souza, Rena N; Hematti, Peiman

2014-08-01

Cell-based treatments are being developed as a novel approach for the treatment of many diseases in an effort to repair injured tissues and regenerate lost tissues. Interest in the potential use of multipotent progenitor or stem cells has grown significantly in recent years, specifically the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), for tissue engineering in combination with extracellular matrix-based scaffolds. An area that warrants further attention is the local or systemic host responses toward the implanted cell-biomaterial constructs. Such immunological responses could play a major role in determining the clinical efficacy of the therapeutic device or biomaterials used. MSCs, due to their unique immunomodulatory properties, hold great promise in tissue engineering as they not only directly participate in tissue repair and regeneration but also modulate the host foreign body response toward the engineered constructs. The purpose of this review was to summarize the current state of knowledge and applications of MSC-biomaterial constructs as a potential immunoregulatory tool in tissue engineering. Better understanding of the interactions between biomaterials and cells could translate to the development of clinically relevant and novel cell-based therapeutics for tissue reconstruction and regenerative medicine.

Guidelines and enabling objectives for training primary healthcare providers, gynecologists and obstetric and gynecology residents in Female Pelvic Floor Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

PubMed

Contreras Ortiz, Oscar; Rizk, Diaa Ee; Falconi, Gabriele; Schreiner, Lucas; Gorbea Chávez, Viridiana

2017-02-01

For four decades, the training for fellows in Urogynecology has been defined by taking into account the proposals of the relevant international societies. Primary health care providers and general OB/GYN practitioners could not find validated guidelines for the integration of knowledge in pelvic floor dysfunctions. The FIGO Working Group (FWG) in Pelvic Floor Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery has looked for the consensus of international opinion leaders in order to develop a set of minimal requirements of knowledge and skills in this area. This manuscript is divided into three categories of knowledge and skills, these are: to know, to understand, and to perform in order to offer the patients a more holistic health care in this area. The FWG reached consensus on the minimal requirements of knowledge and skills regarding each of the enabling objectives identified for postgraduate obstetrics and gynecology physicians and for residents in obstetrics and gynecology. Our goal is to propose and validate the basic objectives of minimal knowledge in pelvic floor medicine and reconstructive surgery. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:514-517, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An empirical Bayes approach to network recovery using external knowledge.

PubMed

Kpogbezan, Gino B; van der Vaart, Aad W; van Wieringen, Wessel N; Leday, Gwenaël G R; van de Wiel, Mark A

2017-09-01

Reconstruction of a high-dimensional network may benefit substantially from the inclusion of prior knowledge on the network topology. In the case of gene interaction networks such knowledge may come for instance from pathway repositories like KEGG, or be inferred from data of a pilot study. The Bayesian framework provides a natural means of including such prior knowledge. Based on a Bayesian Simultaneous Equation Model, we develop an appealing Empirical Bayes (EB) procedure that automatically assesses the agreement of the used prior knowledge with the data at hand. We use variational Bayes method for posterior densities approximation and compare its accuracy with that of Gibbs sampling strategy. Our method is computationally fast, and can outperform known competitors. In a simulation study, we show that accurate prior data can greatly improve the reconstruction of the network, but need not harm the reconstruction if wrong. We demonstrate the benefits of the method in an analysis of gene expression data from GEO. In particular, the edges of the recovered network have superior reproducibility (compared to that of competitors) over resampled versions of the data. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tracking the Transformation and Preservation of Organic Biomarkers in a Varved Sediment-Core Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tolu, J.; Bigler, C.; Bindler, R.

2014-12-01

An important premise for reconstructing environmental changes using sediment records is to understand which environmental information reaches the lake bottom and how diagenetic processes may affect the proxies, such as terrestrial and aquatic organic biomarkers. We can tackle this question using a unique series of varved sediment cores collected from the lake Nylandssjön (northern Sweden). In addition to limnological and sediment trap sampling since 2001, we have a collection of freeze cores taken in late winter and stored since 1979, which allows us to track individual varve years (e.g., 1978) over time (~30 years). A previous study using this collection showed that 23 % of C and 35 % of N were lost during the first 25 years with a C:N ratio increase of ≈21, suggesting important implications for diagenetic effects on organic biomarkers. To assess the preservation/transformation of organic biomarkers, we developed a new Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry method that allows the rapid determination of biomarkers from the common OM classes (e.g., plant waxes, microbial lipids, lignins) using sub-mg sample sizes and thus applicable to high-resolution sampling of the varved sediment (Tolu et al., under review). Our results show that the different biomarkers exhibit a broad spectrum of reactivities over ~30 years -% change determined by ([Peak area at t] - [Peak area at t=0])/ [peak area at t=0] x 100-. For example: 67-80 % of the algal chlorophyll-derived product 'phytene' is lost depending which single varve year is followed over time (e.g., 1979). Only 12-32 % of "pristene", the degraded form of algal chlorophyll, is lost. The guaiacyl and syringyl lignin units are affected by a smaller loss, i.e. 5-15 %, and the S/G ratio, indicative of angiosperm/gymnosperm plant input remains stable, which is contrary to previous work on non-varved lake sediments. Considering all biomarkers, the degradation/production plateaued after ~15 years, which indicates that reconstructions of changes in OM quality sedimentation can be safely done from the 15th varve without further significant changes induced by diagenesis. To reconstruct changes in OM quality within the recent 15 years, the stable biomarkers and the degradation rates of the non-stable ones have to be used. 1 Gälman et al. (2008) Limnol Oceanogr 53: 1076

Novel and lost forests in the Upper Midwestern United States, from new estimates of settlement-era composition, stem density, and biomass

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goring, Simon; Mladenoff, David J.; Cogbill, Charles; Record, Sydne; Paciorek, Christopher J.; Dietze, Michael C.; Dawson, Andria; Matthes, Jaclyn; McLachlan, Jason S.; Williams, John W.

2016-01-01

EuroAmerican land-use and its legacies have transformed forest structure and composition across the United States (US). More accurate reconstructions of historical states are critical to understanding the processes governing past, current, and future forest dynamics. Here we present new gridded (8x8km) reconstructions of pre-settlement (1800s) forest composition and structure from the upper Midwestern US (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and most of Michigan), using 19th Century Public Land Survey System (PLSS), with estimates of relative composition, above-ground biomass, stem density, and basal area for 28 tree types. This mapping is more robust than past efforts, using spatially varying correction factors to accommodate sampling design, azimuthal censoring, and biases in tree selection.

Response: Uses of History in Creating New Futures--A Science-Informed Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambrill, Eileen

2012-01-01

Social work is a profession that draws (or should draw) on available knowledge in the disciplines as well as other sources including other professions in the pursuit of "the betterment of life conditions of individuals, groups, and communities." An historical perspective illustrates opportunities taken and lost to harvest knowledge in pursuit of…

How Historical Experiments Can Improve Scientific Knowledge and Science Education: The Cases of Boiling Water and Electrochemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Hasok

2011-01-01

I advance some novel arguments for the use of historical experiments in science education. After distinguishing three different types of historical experiments and their general purposes, I define "complementary experiments", which can recover lost scientific knowledge and extend what has been recovered. Complementary experiments can help science…

Metal artifact correction for x-ray computed tomography using kV and selective MV imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Meng, E-mail: mengwu@stanford.edu; Keil, Andreas; Constantin, Dragos

Purpose: The overall goal of this work is to improve the computed tomography (CT) image quality for patients with metal implants or fillings by completing the missing kilovoltage (kV) projection data with selectively acquired megavoltage (MV) data that do not suffer from photon starvation. When both of these imaging systems, which are available on current radiotherapy devices, are used, metal streak artifacts are avoided, and the soft-tissue contrast is restored, even for regions in which the kV data cannot contribute any information. Methods: Three image-reconstruction methods, including two filtered back-projection (FBP)-based analytic methods and one iterative method, for combining kVmore » and MV projection data from the two on-board imaging systems of a radiotherapy device are presented in this work. The analytic reconstruction methods modify the MV data based on the information in the projection or image domains and then patch the data onto the kV projections for a FBP reconstruction. In the iterative reconstruction, the authors used dual-energy (DE) penalized weighted least-squares (PWLS) methods to simultaneously combine the kV/MV data and perform the reconstruction. Results: The authors compared kV/MV reconstructions to kV-only reconstructions using a dental phantom with fillings and a hip-implant numerical phantom. Simulation results indicated that dual-energy sinogram patch FBP and the modified dual-energy PWLS method can successfully suppress metal streak artifacts and restore information lost due to photon starvation in the kV projections. The root-mean-square errors of soft-tissue patterns obtained using combined kV/MV data are 10–15 Hounsfield units smaller than those of the kV-only images, and the structural similarity index measure also indicates a 5%–10% improvement in the image quality. The added dose from the MV scan is much less than the dose from the kV scan if a high efficiency MV detector is assumed. Conclusions: The authors have shown that it is possible to improve the image quality of kV CTs for patients with metal implants or fillings by completing the missing kV projection data with selectively acquired MV data that do not suffer from photon starvation. Numerical simulations demonstrated that dual-energy sinogram patch FBP and a modified kV/MV PWLS method can successfully suppress metal streak artifacts and restore information lost due to photon starvation in kV projections. Combined kV/MV images may permit the improved delineation of structures of interest in CT images for patients with metal implants or fillings.« less

Limb salvage surgery.

PubMed

Kadam, Dinesh

2013-05-01

The threat of lower limb loss is seen commonly in severe crush injury, cancer ablation, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease and neuropathy. The primary goal of limb salvage is to restore and maintain stability and ambulation. Reconstructive strategies differ in each condition such as: Meticulous debridement and early coverage in trauma, replacing lost functional units in cancer ablation, improving vascularity in ischaemic leg and providing stable walking surface for trophic ulcer. The decision to salvage the critically injured limb is multifactorial and should be individualised along with laid down definitive indications. Early cover remains the standard of care, delayed wound coverage not necessarily affect the final outcome. Limb salvage is more cost-effective than amputations in a long run. Limb salvage is the choice of procedure over amputation in 95% of limb sarcoma without affecting the survival. Compound flaps with different tissue components, skeletal reconstruction; tendon transfer/reconstruction helps to restore function. Adjuvant radiation alters tissue characters and calls for modification in reconstructive plan. Neuropathic ulcers are wide and deep often complicated by osteomyelitis. Free flap reconstruction aids in faster healing and provides superior surface for offloading. Diabetic wounds are primarily due to neuropathy and leads to six-fold increase in ulcerations. Control of infections, aggressive debridement and vascular cover are the mainstay of management. Endovascular procedures are gaining importance and have reduced extent of surgery and increased amputation free survival period. Though the standard approach remains utilising best option in the reconstruction ladder, the recent trend shows running down the ladder of reconstruction with newer reliable local flaps and negative wound pressure therapy.

Assessing Women's Preferences and Preference Modeling for Breast Reconstruction Decision-Making.

PubMed

Sun, Clement S; Cantor, Scott B; Reece, Gregory P; Crosby, Melissa A; Fingeret, Michelle C; Markey, Mia K

2014-03-01

Women considering breast reconstruction must make challenging trade-offs amongst issues that often conflict. It may be useful to quantify possible outcomes using a single summary measure to aid a breast cancer patient in choosing a form of breast reconstruction. In this study, we used multiattribute utility theory to combine multiple objectives to yield a summary value using nine different preference models. We elicited the preferences of 36 women, aged 32 or older with no history of breast cancer, for the patient-reported outcome measures of breast satisfaction, psychosocial well-being, chest well-being, abdominal well-being, and sexual wellbeing as measured by the BREAST-Q in addition to time lost to reconstruction and out-of-pocket cost. Participants ranked hypothetical breast reconstruction outcomes. We examined each multiattribute utility preference model and assessed how often each model agreed with participants' rankings. The median amount of time required to assess preferences was 34 minutes. Agreement among the nine preference models with the participants ranged from 75.9% to 78.9%. None of the preference models performed significantly worse than the best performing risk averse multiplicative model. We hypothesize an average theoretical agreement of 94.6% for this model if participant error is included. There was a statistically significant positive correlation with more unequal distribution of weight given to the seven attributes. We recommend the risk averse multiplicative model for modeling the preferences of patients considering different forms of breast reconstruction because it agreed most often with the participants in this study.

Oromandibular reconstruction with chimeric double-skin paddle flap based on peroneal vessel axis for synchronous opposite double oral cancer.

PubMed

Huang, Shih-Tsai; Liu, Wen-Chung; Chen, Lee-Wei; Yang, Kuo-Chung

2015-05-01

Synchronous double oral cancer represents the minority of cases of head and neck cancer. After tumor ablation, 2 separate oromandibular defects, even combined with a through-and-through oral defect, pose a serious reconstructive challenge. The ideal method for reconstruction remains controversial. Based on the peroneal vessel axis, a chimeric double-skin paddle peroneal fasciocutaneous or fibular osteomyocutaneous flap could be designed to accomplish the difficult reconstruction. Six male patients, each with 2 separate oromandibular defects after tumor ablation of synchronous double oral cancer, received double-skin paddle flap reconstruction with 3 peroneal fasciocutaneous and 3 fibular osteomyocutaneous flaps. All 6 flaps survived; however, complications included 1 skin paddle lost due to insufficient perfusion of a visible perforator, and 1 superficial necrosis occurring over the tip of a longer skin paddle. One postoperative intraoral infection and 1 donor site infection were also reported. During follow-up, 3 months later, 1 patient succumbed to local recurrence and bony metastasis. One patient developed a new cancer in the maxillary gingiva, and another had osteoradionecrosis 8 months later. Four patients gained acceptable cosmesis with good oral competence. A chimeric flap based on the peroneal artery could provide a segment of fibular bone, 1 or 2 skin paddles, and a cuff of the flexor hallucis longus muscle simultaneously. For 1-stage reconstruction of separate oromandibular defects after tumor ablation of synchronous double oral cancer, this design could provide all components at 1 transfer.

Reconstructing the star knowledge of Aboriginal Tasmanians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gantevoort, Michelle; Hamacher, Duane W.; Lischick, Savannah

2016-12-01

The canopy of stars is a central presence in the daily and spiritual lives of Aboriginal Tasmanians. With the arrival of European colonists, Tasmanian astronomical knowledge and traditions were interrupted and dispersed. Fragments can be found scattered in the ethnographic and historical record throughout the nineteenth century. We draw from these ethnohistorical documents to analyse and reconstruct Aboriginal astronomical knowledge in Tasmania. This analysis demonstrates that stars, the Milky Way, constellations, dark nebula, the Sun, Moon, meteors and aurorae held cultural, spiritual and subsistence significance for the Aboriginal cultures of Tasmania. We move beyond a monolithic view of Aboriginal astronomical knowledge in Tasmania, commonly portrayed in previous research, to lay the groundwork for future ethnographic and archaeological fieldwork with Aboriginal elders and communities.

Discussion of future cooperative actions and closing remarks

Treesearch

Patricia L. Pettit

1996-01-01

The knowledge shared and the energy generated by this symposium should not be lost as we leave for our homes and our jobs. We have a great wealth of experience, knowledge, and energy assembled. How can we continue to communicate with each other, share information, involve others, and influence decision makers? The steering committee for this symposium in hopes of...

Enabling Security, Stability, Transition, and Reconstruction Operations through Knowledge Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-18

strategy. Overall, the cultural barriers to knowledge sharing center on knowledge creation and capture. The primary barrier to knowledge sharing is lack ... Lacking a shared identity decreases the likelihood of knowledge sharing, which is essential to effective collaboration.84 Related to collaboration...to adapt, develop, and change based on experience-derived knowledge.90 A second cultural barrier to knowledge acquisition is the lack receptiveness

3D reconstruction techniques made easy: know-how and pictures.

PubMed

Luccichenti, Giacomo; Cademartiri, Filippo; Pezzella, Francesca Romana; Runza, Giuseppe; Belgrano, Manuel; Midiri, Massimo; Sabatini, Umberto; Bastianello, Stefano; Krestin, Gabriel P

2005-10-01

Three-dimensional reconstructions represent a visual-based tool for illustrating the basis of three-dimensional post-processing such as interpolation, ray-casting, segmentation, percentage classification, gradient calculation, shading and illumination. The knowledge of the optimal scanning and reconstruction parameters facilitates the use of three-dimensional reconstruction techniques in clinical practise. The aim of this article is to explain the principles of multidimensional image processing in a pictorial way and the advantages and limitations of the different possibilities of 3D visualisation.

P-Code-Enhanced Encryption-Mode Processing of GPS Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Lawrence; Meehan, Thomas; Thomas, Jess B.

2003-01-01

A method of processing signals in a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver has been invented to enable the receiver to recover some of the information that is otherwise lost when GPS signals are encrypted at the transmitters. The need for this method arises because, at the option of the military, precision GPS code (P-code) is sometimes encrypted by a secret binary code, denoted the A code. Authorized users can recover the full signal with knowledge of the A-code. However, even in the absence of knowledge of the A-code, one can track the encrypted signal by use of an estimate of the A-code. The present invention is a method of making and using such an estimate. In comparison with prior such methods, this method makes it possible to recover more of the lost information and obtain greater accuracy.

Integrated Approach to Reconstruction of Microbial Regulatory Networks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodionov, Dmitry A; Novichkov, Pavel S

2013-11-04

This project had the goal(s) of development of integrated bioinformatics platform for genome-scale inference and visualization of transcriptional regulatory networks (TRNs) in bacterial genomes. The work was done in Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (SBMRI, P.I. D.A. Rodionov) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL, co-P.I. P.S. Novichkov). The developed computational resources include: (1) RegPredict web-platform for TRN inference and regulon reconstruction in microbial genomes, and (2) RegPrecise database for collection, visualization and comparative analysis of transcriptional regulons reconstructed by comparative genomics. These analytical resources were selected as key components in the DOE Systems Biology KnowledgeBase (SBKB). The high-quality data accumulated inmore » RegPrecise will provide essential datasets of reference regulons in diverse microbes to enable automatic reconstruction of draft TRNs in newly sequenced genomes. We outline our progress toward the three aims of this grant proposal, which were: Develop integrated platform for genome-scale regulon reconstruction; Infer regulatory annotations in several groups of bacteria and building of reference collections of microbial regulons; and Develop KnowledgeBase on microbial transcriptional regulation.« less

Urban Modelling with Typological Approach. Case Study: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, A.

2017-08-01

In three-dimensional models of urban historical reconstruction, missed contextual architecture faces difficulties because it does not have much written references in contrast to the most important monuments. This is the case of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico during the Colonial Era (1542-1810), which has lost much of its heritage. An alternative to offer a hypothetical view of these elements is a typological - parametric definition that allows a 3D modeling approach to the most common features of this heritage evidence.

Cognitive Factors Affecting Student Understanding of Geologic Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodick, Jeff; Orion, Nir

2003-01-01

Presents a model that describes how students reconstruct geological transformations over time. Defines the critical factors influencing reconstructive thinking: (1) the transformation scheme, which influences the other diachronic schemes; (2) knowledge of geological processes; and (3) extracognitive factors. (Author/KHR)

Using ancient protein kinases to unravel a modern cancer drug's mechanism

DOE PAGES

Wilson, C.; Agafonov, R. V.; Hoemberger, M.; ...

2015-02-19

Macromolecular function is rooted in energy landscapes, where sequence determines not a single structure but an ensemble of conformations. Hence, evolution modifies a protein’s function by altering its energy landscape. Consequently, we recreate the evolutionary pathway between two modern human oncogenes, Src and Abl, by reconstructing their common ancestors. Our evolutionary reconstruction combined with x-ray structures of the common ancestor and pre–steady-state kinetics reveals a detailed atomistic mechanism for selectivity of the successful cancer drug Gleevec. Gleevec affinity is gained during the evolutionary trajectory toward Abl and lost toward Src, primarily by shifting an induced-fit equilibrium that is also disruptedmore » in the clinical T315I resistance mutation. Lastly, this work reveals the mechanism of Gleevec specificity while offering insights into how energy landscapes evolve.« less

Sensitivity after bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and immediate reconstruction.

PubMed

Gahm, Jessica; Jurell, Göran; Wickman, Marie; Hansson, Per

2007-01-01

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the cutaneous somatosensory function and patients' subjective experience after bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants. Twenty-four patients treated during an eight-year period were included. Somatosensory examination was made at least two years after the latest surgery to study perception thresholds to touch, warmth, cold, and heat pain, using quantitative techniques. Patients also completed a questionnaire about subjective sensitivity. Sixteen women who had had no previous breast surgery were used as a control group. Most patients reported decreased sensitivity in the breasts, which was confirmed by the results from the quantitative somatosensory examination. The results also showed that the ability to experience sexual feelings in the breast is usually lost after this type of operation, and as many as 14 patients reported spontaneous or stimulus-evoked discomfort in the breasts.

77 FR 20491 - National Cancer Control Month, 2012

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-05

... discoveries. During National Cancer Control Month, we remember those we have lost, support Americans fighting... combatting cancer. We owe the knowledge we have gained and the lives we have saved to the countless doctors...

D Visualization and Photo-Realistic Reconstruction of the Great Temple of Bel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denker, A.

2017-02-01

The Great Temple of Bel in Palmyra was a unique edifice which had blended the well established lines of Greco-Roman architecture with the art and taste of the Orient. With the gilded bronze capitals of its 41 Corinthian columns it was the product of enormous effort and budget. It was the gem of a remarkable epoch of wealthy Palmyra and mighty Roma. With its splendidly decorated adyta ceilings it became a source of inspiration and imagination for Western architecture and decorative arts. While continuing to captivate the World, it was leveled and vanished as a grim result of conflict based vandalism. The aim of this work is to piece together this, the most eloquent and stupendous monument of the Roman East, from its ruins and reconstruct it as it was once extant. Its loss is irreplacable, but its photo-realistic reconstruction can offer some solace by waking the memories of the great temple as in the past. The lost reality of the Great Temple of Bel is revived here by digitally constructing its "ghost images".

Tooth autotransplantation in a free iliac crest graft for prosthetic reconstruction.

PubMed

Landes, Constantin A; Glasl, Bettina; Ludwig, Björn; Rieger, Jörg; Sader, Robert

2008-09-01

This report documents successful tooth autotransplantation to a free iliac crest graft in an exemplar case. A 14-year-old male patient was operated thrice with increasing amounts of resection for recurrent odontogenic myxoma. When mandibular continuity resection finally was performed, a free iliac crest block autotransplant was used for reconstruction. Upon metal removal 5 months later, 3 wisdom teeth with two-thirds complete root development were transplanted to the free graft and retained by fixed orthodontic appliances including skeletal anchorage with orthodontic microscrews. Tooth graft taking was awaited for 8 weeks with retention. Following undisturbed healing without occlusal forces, 6 months of orthodontic treatment intentionally extruded the autotransplanted teeth to antagonist contact. The third and most dorsal tooth became mobile after 3 months and was lost. The surviving 2 teeth were fitted by a prosthetic bridge as extrusion into the occlusal plane was not completely successful. This exemplar case shows benefit of tooth autotransplants in selected cases of jaw reconstruction with distal bone autotransplants as alternative to dental titanium implants and suprastructures. Orthodontic microscrews can moreover support tooth movement and positioning as anchorage device in altered anatomy.

3D prostate histology image reconstruction: Quantifying the impact of tissue deformation and histology section location

PubMed Central

Gibson, Eli; Gaed, Mena; Gómez, José A.; Moussa, Madeleine; Pautler, Stephen; Chin, Joseph L.; Crukley, Cathie; Bauman, Glenn S.; Fenster, Aaron; Ward, Aaron D.

2013-01-01

Background: Guidelines for localizing prostate cancer on imaging are ideally informed by registered post-prostatectomy histology. 3D histology reconstruction methods can support this by reintroducing 3D spatial information lost during histology processing. The need to register small, high-grade foci drives a need for high accuracy. Accurate 3D reconstruction method design is impacted by the answers to the following central questions of this work. (1) How does prostate tissue deform during histology processing? (2) What spatial misalignment of the tissue sections is induced by microtome cutting? (3) How does the choice of reconstruction model affect histology reconstruction accuracy? Materials and Methods: Histology, paraffin block face and magnetic resonance images were acquired for 18 whole mid-gland tissue slices from six prostates. 7-15 homologous landmarks were identified on each image. Tissue deformation due to histology processing was characterized using the target registration error (TRE) after landmark-based registration under four deformation models (rigid, similarity, affine and thin-plate-spline [TPS]). The misalignment of histology sections from the front faces of tissue slices was quantified using manually identified landmarks. The impact of reconstruction models on the TRE after landmark-based reconstruction was measured under eight reconstruction models comprising one of four deformation models with and without constraining histology images to the tissue slice front faces. Results: Isotropic scaling improved the mean TRE by 0.8-1.0 mm (all results reported as 95% confidence intervals), while skew or TPS deformation improved the mean TRE by <0.1 mm. The mean misalignment was 1.1-1.9° (angle) and 0.9-1.3 mm (depth). Using isotropic scaling, the front face constraint raised the mean TRE by 0.6-0.8 mm. Conclusions: For sub-millimeter accuracy, 3D reconstruction models should not constrain histology images to the tissue slice front faces and should be flexible enough to model isotropic scaling. PMID:24392245

Assessing Women’s Preferences and Preference Modeling for Breast Reconstruction Decision Making

PubMed Central

Sun, Clement S.; Cantor, Scott B.; Reece, Gregory P.; Crosby, Melissa A.; Fingeret, Michelle C.

2014-01-01

Background: Women considering breast reconstruction must make challenging trade-offs among issues that often conflict. It may be useful to quantify possible outcomes using a single summary measure to aid a breast cancer patient in choosing a form of breast reconstruction. Methods: In this study, we used multiattribute utility theory to combine multiple objectives to yield a summary value using 9 different preference models. We elicited the preferences of 36 women, aged 32 or older with no history of breast cancer, for the patient-reported outcome measures of breast satisfaction, psychosocial well-being, chest well-being, abdominal well-being, and sexual well-being as measured by the BREAST-Q in addition to time lost to reconstruction and out-of-pocket cost. Participants ranked hypothetical breast reconstruction outcomes. We examined each multiattribute utility preference model and assessed how often each model agreed with participants’ rankings. Results: The median amount of time required to assess preferences was 34 minutes. Agreement among the 9 preference models with the participants ranged from 75.9% to 78.9%. None of the preference models performed significantly worse than the best-performing risk-averse multiplicative model. We hypothesize an average theoretical agreement of 94.6% for this model if participant error is included. There was a statistically significant positive correlation with more unequal distribution of weight given to the 7 attributes. Conclusions: We recommend the risk-averse multiplicative model for modeling the preferences of patients considering different forms of breast reconstruction because it agreed most often with the participants in this study. PMID:25105083

Complex outflow anatomy in left lateral lobe graft and modified venous reconstruction in pediatric living donor liver transplantation.

PubMed

Benetatos, Nikolaos; Scalera, Irene; Isaac, John R; Mirza, Darius F; Muiesan, Paolo

2014-10-01

Hepatic venous outflow reconstruction is of critical significance in pediatric patients undergoing living donor liver transplantation. Accurate knowledge of the anatomical variations is important to obtain appropriate size segmental grafts. The diameter of the hepatic veins and the potential risk of complications at the level of the anastomosis require an adequate primary vascular reconstruction. We describe a venous outflow reconstruction technique, in a living related left lateral lobe graft, with unfavorable hepatic venous anatomy. © 2014 Steunstichting ESOT.

Objective evaluation of the latissimus dorsi flap for breast reconstruction using three-dimensional imaging.

PubMed

Henseler, Helga; Smith, Joanna; Bowman, Adrian; Khambay, Balvinder S; Ju, Xiangyang; Ayoub, Ashraf; Ray, Arup K

2012-09-01

The latissimus dorsi muscle flap is a common method for the reconstruction of the breast following mastectomy. The study aimed to assess the quality of this reconstruction using a three-dimensional (3D) imaging method. The null hypothesis was that there was no difference in volume between the reconstructed breast and the opposite side. This study was conducted in forty-four patients who had had immediate unilateral breast reconstruction by latissimus dorsi muscle flap. The breast was captured using the 3D imaging system. Ten landmarks were digitised on the 3D images. The volume of each breast was measured by the application of Breast Analysis Tool software. The symmetry of the breast was measured using Procrustes analysis. The impact of breast position, orientation, size and intrinsic shape on the overall breast asymmetry was investigated. The null hypothesis was rejected. The reconstructed breast showed a significantly smaller volume when compared to the opposite side, p < 0.0001, a mean difference of 176.8 cc and 95% CI (103.5, 250.0). The shape and the position of the reconstructed breast were the main contributing factors to the measured asymmetry score. 3D imaging was efficient in evaluating the outcome of breast surgery. The latissimus dorsi muscle flap on its own for breast reconstruction did not restore the volume and shape of the breast fully lost due to complete mastectomy. The modification of this method and the selection of other or additional surgical techniques for breast reconstruction should be considered. The asymmetry analysis through reflection and Procrustes matching was a useful method for the objective shape analysis of the female breast and presented a new approach for breast shape assessment. The intrinsic breast shape and the positioning of the breast were major components of postoperative breast asymmetry. The reconstructed breast was smaller overall than the un-operated breast at a significant level when assessing the breast volume using the surface area. 3D imaging by multiple stereophotogrammetry was a useful tool for volume measurements, shape analysis and the evaluation of symmetry. Copyright © 2012 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highly undersampled MR image reconstruction using an improved dual-dictionary learning method with self-adaptive dictionaries.

PubMed

Li, Jiansen; Song, Ying; Zhu, Zhen; Zhao, Jun

2017-05-01

Dual-dictionary learning (Dual-DL) method utilizes both a low-resolution dictionary and a high-resolution dictionary, which are co-trained for sparse coding and image updating, respectively. It can effectively exploit a priori knowledge regarding the typical structures, specific features, and local details of training sets images. The prior knowledge helps to improve the reconstruction quality greatly. This method has been successfully applied in magnetic resonance (MR) image reconstruction. However, it relies heavily on the training sets, and dictionaries are fixed and nonadaptive. In this research, we improve Dual-DL by using self-adaptive dictionaries. The low- and high-resolution dictionaries are updated correspondingly along with the image updating stage to ensure their self-adaptivity. The updated dictionaries incorporate both the prior information of the training sets and the test image directly. Both dictionaries feature improved adaptability. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can efficiently and significantly improve the quality and robustness of MR image reconstruction.

Global Losses and Declining Vulnerability to Tropical Cyclones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narita, D.; Hsiang, S. M.

2011-12-01

Approach An extreme environmental event may generate different losses for different societies. If the physical exposure to an event is held fixed, then the magnitude of a society's loss defines its vulnerability to that event. Competing hypotheses suggest that social and economic developments could make vulnerability rise or fall over time, but previous studies have been unable to reject either hypothesis because they lacked accurate data on societies' physical exposure to extreme events. We address this problem for a specific type of event by reconstructing the exposure of 233 countries to every tropical cyclone (TC) on the planet between 1950 and 2008 in making use of the Limited Information Cyclone Reconstruction and Integration for Climate and Economics (LICRICE) model [Hsiang, 2010]. By filling a critical data gap, this reconstruction enables us to compare how revenue losses, damages, and deaths from physically similar events change over time. Our approach contrasts with a large literature, which relies almost exclusively on self-reporting data of TC damages compiled by the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT)[OFDA/CRED, 2009]. Results On a global scale, we find that populations rapidly mitigate certain TC risks, reducing their reported damages from a TC of low intensity by a remarkable 9.4% yr-1 and death rates by 5.1% yr-1 (Figure 1). However, these rapid reductions in vulnerability are not evident for the highest intensity TCs and lost agricultural revenues, which are more difficult to observe than deaths or damages, exhibit non-declining vulnerability for events of all intensities. Because the vulnerability of agriculture has remained high while vulnerability to damages has declined rapidly, our results indicate that lost agricultural revenues have dominated TC losses ever since ˜1990. References Hsiang, S. M. (2010). Temperatures and cyclones strongly associated with economic production in the Caribbean and Central America. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(35):15367-15372. OFDA/CRED (2009). The International Disaster Database.

The burden of child maltreatment in China: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Fry, Deborah A; Ji, Kai; Finkelhor, David; Chen, Jingqi; Lannen, Patricia; Dunne, Michael P

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective To estimate the health and economic burdens of child maltreatment in China. Methods We did a systematic review for studies on child maltreatment in China using PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL-EBSCO, ERIC and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. We did meta-analyses of studies that met inclusion criteria to estimate the prevalence of child neglect and child physical, emotional and sexual abuse. We used data from the 2010 global burden of disease estimates to calculate disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost as a result of child maltreatment. Findings From 68 studies we estimated that 26.6% of children under 18 years of age have suffered physical abuse, 19.6% emotional abuse, 8.7% sexual abuse and 26.0% neglect. We estimate that emotional abuse in childhood accounts for 26.3% of the DALYs lost because of mental disorders and 18.0% of those lost because of self-harm. Physical abuse in childhood accounts for 12.2% of DALYs lost because of depression, 17.0% of those lost to anxiety, 20.7% of those lost to problem drinking, 18.8% of those lost to illicit drug use and 18.3% of those lost to self-harm. The consequences of physical abuse of children costs China an estimated 0.84% of its gross domestic product – i.e. 50 billion United States dollars – in 2010. The corresponding losses attributable to emotional and sexual abuse in childhood were 0.47% and 0.39% of the gross domestic product, respectively. Conclusion In China, child maltreatment is common and associated with large economic losses because many maltreated children suffer substantial psychological distress and might adopt behaviours that increase their risk of chronic disease. PMID:25838613

Crater Identification Algorithm for the Lost in Low Lunar Orbit Scenario

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanak, Chad; Crain, TImothy

2010-01-01

Recent emphasis by NASA on returning astronauts to the Moon has placed attention on the subject of lunar surface feature tracking. Although many algorithms have been proposed for lunar surface feature tracking navigation, much less attention has been paid to the issue of navigational state initialization from lunar craters in a lost in low lunar orbit (LLO) scenario. That is, a scenario in which lunar surface feature tracking must begin, but current navigation state knowledge is either unavailable or too poor to initiate a tracking algorithm. The situation is analogous to the lost in space scenario for star trackers. A new crater identification algorithm is developed herein that allows for navigation state initialization from as few as one image of the lunar surface with no a priori state knowledge. The algorithm takes as inputs the locations and diameters of craters that have been detected in an image, and uses the information to match the craters to entries in the USGS lunar crater catalog via non-dimensional crater triangle parameters. Due to the large number of uncataloged craters that exist on the lunar surface, a probability-based check was developed to reject false identifications. The algorithm was tested on craters detected in four revolutions of Apollo 16 LLO images, and shown to perform well.

Greenland Gains Some, Loses More

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-02-19

NASA GRACE mission has become a key source of knowledge about global ice mass changes. Studies of Greenland using GRACE and other data indicate that between 2000 and 2008 the Greenland ice sheet lost as much as 1,500 gigatons of mass.

SU-D-206-03: Segmentation Assisted Fast Iterative Reconstruction Method for Cone-Beam CT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, P; Mao, T; Gong, S

2016-06-15

Purpose: Total Variation (TV) based iterative reconstruction (IR) methods enable accurate CT image reconstruction from low-dose measurements with sparse projection acquisition, due to the sparsifiable feature of most CT images using gradient operator. However, conventional solutions require large amount of iterations to generate a decent reconstructed image. One major reason is that the expected piecewise constant property is not taken into consideration at the optimization starting point. In this work, we propose an iterative reconstruction method for cone-beam CT (CBCT) using image segmentation to guide the optimization path more efficiently on the regularization term at the beginning of the optimizationmore » trajectory. Methods: Our method applies general knowledge that one tissue component in the CT image contains relatively uniform distribution of CT number. This general knowledge is incorporated into the proposed reconstruction using image segmentation technique to generate the piecewise constant template on the first-pass low-quality CT image reconstructed using analytical algorithm. The template image is applied as an initial value into the optimization process. Results: The proposed method is evaluated on the Shepp-Logan phantom of low and high noise levels, and a head patient. The number of iterations is reduced by overall 40%. Moreover, our proposed method tends to generate a smoother reconstructed image with the same TV value. Conclusion: We propose a computationally efficient iterative reconstruction method for CBCT imaging. Our method achieves a better optimization trajectory and a faster convergence behavior. It does not rely on prior information and can be readily incorporated into existing iterative reconstruction framework. Our method is thus practical and attractive as a general solution to CBCT iterative reconstruction. This work is supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. LR16F010001), National High-tech R&D Program for Young Scientists by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2015AA020917).« less

Posthumous Testimony for Dr. Leo Gross and his Family / Restoration of the 'Lost' Biography of a Physician Victim of the Holocaust

PubMed

Hildebrandt, Sabine; Von Villiez, Anna; Seidelman, William E

At a time when the last direct witnesses of the Holocaust are passing, new approaches to the restoration of 'lost' biographies of victims need to be considered. This investigation describes the potential of an international collaboration including surviving family members. Archival documents discovered in Jerusalem in 1983 concerned a discussion on the cancellation of a medical licence for a German Jewish physician, Dr. Leo Gross of Kolberg, who had been disenfranchised from medical practice under Nazi law. After applying for a medical licence during a 1935 visit to Palestine, Gross remigrated to Germany, where he was imprisoned in a concentration camp. No further information was found until 2014, when a group of scholars linked a variety of archival and internet-accessible sources and located a nephew of Gross. The nephew's testimony, cross-referenced against data from other sources, enabled the reconstruction of the 'lost' biography of his uncle and family, in fact a posthumous testimony. The resulting narrative places Dr. Leo Gross within his professional and social network, and serves his commemoration within this context of family and community. The restored biography of Dr. Leo Gross presents an exemplary case study for the future of Holocaust testimony.

The Gaugamela Battle Eclipse: An Archaeoastronomical Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polcaro, V. F.; Valsecchi, G. B.; Verderame, L.

A total lunar eclipse occurred during the night preceding the decisive Battle of Gaugamela (20th September 331 BCE), when the Macedonian army, led by Alexander the Great, finally defeated the Persian king Darius and his army. This astronomical event, well known to historians, had a relevant role on the battle outcome. The eclipse was described in detail by Babylonian astronomers, though, unfortunately, the text of their report has only partially been preserved. We have reconstructed the evolution of the phenomenon as it appeared to the observer in Babylonia, by using the positional astronomy code "Planetario V2.0". On the base of this reconstruction we suggest a number of integrations to the lost part of the text, allowing a finer astrological interpretation of the eclipse and of its influence on the mood of the armies that set against each other on the following morning.

Approaching Pharmacometrics as a Paleontologist Would: Recovering the Links Between Drugs and the Body Through Reconstruction.

PubMed

Craig, M; González-Sales, M; Li, J; Nekka, F

2016-03-01

Our knowledge of dinosaurs comes primarily from the fossil record. Notwithstanding the condition of these vestiges, paleontologists reconstruct early reptilian life by comparison to previously discovered specimens. When relics are missing, reasonable deductions are used to fill in the gaps.

Mirror-Imaged Rapid Prototype Skull Model and Pre-Molded Synthetic Scaffold to Achieve Optimal Orbital Cavity Reconstruction.

PubMed

Park, Sung Woo; Choi, Jong Woo; Koh, Kyung S; Oh, Tae Suk

2015-08-01

Reconstruction of traumatic orbital wall defects has evolved to restore the original complex anatomy with the rapidly growing use of computer-aided design and prototyping. This study evaluated a mirror-imaged rapid prototype skull model and a pre-molded synthetic scaffold for traumatic orbital wall reconstruction. A single-center retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent orbital wall reconstruction after trauma from 2012 to 2014. Patients were included by admission through the emergency department after facial trauma or by a tertiary referral for post-traumatic orbital deformity. Three-dimensional (3D) computed tomogram-based mirror-imaged reconstruction images of the orbit and an individually manufactured rapid prototype skull model by a 3D printing technique were obtained for each case. Synthetic scaffolds were anatomically pre-molded using the skull model as guide and inserted at the individual orbital defect. Postoperative complications were assessed and 3D volumetric measurements of the orbital cavity were performed. Paired samples t test was used for statistical analysis. One hundred four patients with immediate orbital defect reconstructions and 23 post-traumatic orbital deformity reconstructions were included in this study. All reconstructions were successful without immediate postoperative complications, although there were 10 cases with mild enophthalmos and 2 cases with persistent diplopia. Reoperations were performed for 2 cases of persistent diplopia and secondary touchup procedures were performed to contour soft tissue in 4 cases. Postoperative volumetric measurement of the orbital cavity showed nonsignificant volume differences between the damaged orbit and the reconstructed orbit (21.35 ± 1.93 vs 20.93 ± 2.07 cm(2); P = .98). This protocol was extended to severe cases in which more than 40% of the orbital frame was lost and combined with extensive soft tissue defects. Traumatic orbital reconstruction can be optimized and successful using an individually manufactured rapid prototype skull model and a pre-molded synthetic scaffold by computer-aid design and manufacturing. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liquid Argon TPC Signal Formation, Signal Processing and Hit Reconstruction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baller, Bruce

2017-03-11

This document describes the early stage of the reconstruction chain that was developed for the ArgoNeuT and MicroBooNE experiments at Fermilab. These experiments study accelerator neutrino interactions that occur in a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber. Reconstructing the properties of particles produced in these interactions requires knowledge of the micro-physics processes that affect the creation and transport of ionization electrons to the readout system. A wire signal deconvolution technique was developed to convert wire signals to a standard form for hit reconstruction, to remove artifacts in the electronics chain and to remove coherent noise.

Quantum-state reconstruction by maximizing likelihood and entropy.

PubMed

Teo, Yong Siah; Zhu, Huangjun; Englert, Berthold-Georg; Řeháček, Jaroslav; Hradil, Zdeněk

2011-07-08

Quantum-state reconstruction on a finite number of copies of a quantum system with informationally incomplete measurements, as a rule, does not yield a unique result. We derive a reconstruction scheme where both the likelihood and the von Neumann entropy functionals are maximized in order to systematically select the most-likely estimator with the largest entropy, that is, the least-bias estimator, consistent with a given set of measurement data. This is equivalent to the joint consideration of our partial knowledge and ignorance about the ensemble to reconstruct its identity. An interesting structure of such estimators will also be explored.

Influence of Adsorbed Hydroxyl and Carbon Monoxide on Potential-Induced Reconstruction of Au(100) as Examined by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

years have witnessed substantial advances in our knowledge of metal reconstruction in electrochemical systems, primarily for low-index gold surfaces in...index gold surfaces, reconstruction can be formed or removed by applying electrode potentials corresponding to negative or positive electronic charge...potential and gold oxidation regions, for Au(100) in 0.1 M KOH, obtained in a conventional electrochemical cell (solid trace). The voltammetric

Finding the ‘lost years’ in green turtles: insights from ocean circulation models and genetic analysis

PubMed Central

Putman, Nathan F.; Naro-Maciel, Eugenia

2013-01-01

Organismal movement is an essential component of ecological processes and connectivity among ecosystems. However, estimating connectivity and identifying corridors of movement are challenging in oceanic organisms such as young turtles that disperse into the open sea and remain largely unobserved during a period known as ‘the lost years’. Using predictions of transport within an ocean circulation model and data from published genetic analysis, we present to our knowledge, the first basin-scale hypothesis of distribution and connectivity among major rookeries and foraging grounds (FGs) of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) during their ‘lost years’. Simulations indicate that transatlantic dispersal is likely to be common and that recurrent connectivity between the southwestern Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic is possible. The predicted distribution of pelagic juvenile turtles suggests that many ‘lost years hotspots’ are presently unstudied and located outside protected areas. These models, therefore, provide new information on possible dispersal pathways that link nesting beaches with FGs. These pathways may be of exceptional conservation concern owing to their importance for sea turtles during a critical developmental period. PMID:23945687

New Ways of Knowledge: The Sciences, Society, and Reconstructive Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raskin, Marcus G.; And Others

In this volume, physicists and social scientists challenge the bedrock of scientific thinking whose applications can prove destructive to existing social systems, and shift the debate to the need for a radical change of direction that would replace traditional "value-free" inquiry and research with a knowledge model that incorporates…

Knowledge and Transformative Social Action: The Encounter of Selected Traditions of Participatory (Action) Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Streck, Danilo Romeu

2014-01-01

The argument in this paper is that action and participatory research developed within the context of social and political movements aimed at promoting democratic relationships and institutions represents a methodological strategy for deconstructing and reconstructing the hegemonic perspective of knowledge and knowledge production. After a brief…

Restitution of Sculptural Groups Using 3D Scanners

PubMed Central

Merchán, Pilar; Salamanca, Santiago; Adán, Antonio

2011-01-01

Imagine for a moment that you have to solve a 3D jigsaw of which you have lost several pieces. You have also lost the original box-top showing the final picture, and as if that were not enough, some of the pieces you do have may belong to some other jigsaw. This is in essence the sort of challenge that we faced in the novel project that we shall be describing in this paper. The final aim of the project was, with the help of 3D scanners, to digitalize and reconstruct multi-piece classical sculptures. Particularly, we tackle the restitution of the so-called “Aeneas Group”, a famous iconographic reference during the Roman Empire. We have undertaken this ambitious project in collaboration with the research department of the Spanish National Museum of Roman Art (MNAR). This paper summarizes the real problems that arose and had to be solved, the innovations, and the main results of the work that we have carried out over these recent years. PMID:22164088

Two-Piece Hollow Bulb Obturator for Postsurgical Partial Maxillectomy Defect in a Young Patient Revamping Lost Malar Prominence: A Clinical Report.

PubMed

Vaidya, Sharad; Parkash, Hari; Gupta, Sharad; Bhargava, Akshay; Kapoor, Charu

2016-01-01

The most frequent type of treatment for patients diagnosed with a malignant neoplasia of the oral cavity is surgical resection of the tumor. Ablative surgery may be followed by a reconstructive phase, in which the surgeon may choose between local flaps, nonvascularized bone grafts or free vascularized flaps to close the surgical site, depending on the general conditions of the patient. Esthetic and functional results are challenging to achieve for the prosthodontist, as variable amount of hard and soft tissues are removed. This report describes the fabrication of a two-piece hollow obturator for a 19-year-old patient who underwent wide surgical excision of the osteosarcoma of the maxilla and was rehabilitated to function. In this case, the surgical site was covered with submental flap, and the second piece of the obturator provided fullness to the lost malar prominence. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Flow temporal reconstruction from non-time-resolved data part I: mathematic fundamentals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legrand, Mathieu; Nogueira, José; Lecuona, Antonio

2011-10-01

At least two circumstances point to the need of postprocessing techniques to recover lost time information from non-time-resolved data: the increasing interest in identifying and tracking coherent structures in flows of industrial interest and the high data throughput of global measuring techniques, such as PIV, for the validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. This paper offers the mathematic fundamentals of a space--time reconstruction technique from non-time-resolved, statistically independent data. An algorithm has been developed to identify and track traveling coherent structures in periodic flows. Phase-averaged flow fields are reconstructed with a correlation-based method, which uses information from the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD). The theoretical background shows that the snapshot POD coefficients can be used to recover flow phase information. Once this information is recovered, the real snapshots are used to reconstruct the flow history and characteristics, avoiding neither the use of POD modes nor any associated artifact. The proposed time reconstruction algorithm is in agreement with the experimental evidence given by the practical implementation proposed in the second part of this work (Legrand et al. in Exp Fluids, 2011), using the coefficients corresponding to the first three POD modes. It also agrees with the results on similar issues by other authors (Ben Chiekh et al. in 9 Congrès Francophone de Vélocimétrie Laser, Bruxelles, Belgium, 2004; Van Oudheusden et al. in Exp Fluids 39-1:86-98, 2005; Meyer et al. in 7th International Symposium on Particle Image Velocimetry, Rome, Italy, 2007a; in J Fluid Mech 583:199-227, 2007b; Perrin et al. in Exp Fluids 43-2:341-355, 2007). Computer time to perform the reconstruction is relatively short, of the order of minutes with current PC technology.

Quality of Patient Decisions About Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy.

PubMed

Lee, Clara Nan-Hi; Deal, Allison M; Huh, Ruth; Ubel, Peter Anthony; Liu, Yuen-Jong; Blizard, Lillian; Hunt, Caprice; Pignone, Michael Patrick

2017-08-01

Breast reconstruction has the potential to improve a person's body image and quality of life but has important risks. Variations in who undergoes breast reconstruction have led to questions about the quality of patient decisions. To assess the quality of patient decisions about breast reconstruction. A prospective, cross-sectional survey study was conducted from June 27, 2012, to February 28, 2014, at a single, academic, multidisciplinary oncology clinic among women planning to undergo mastectomy for stage I to III invasive ductal or lobular breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, or prophylaxis. Mastectomy only and mastectomy with reconstruction. Knowledge, as ascertained using the Decision Quality Instrument; preference concordance, based on rating and ranking of key attributes; and decision quality, defined as having knowledge of 50% or more and preference concordance. During the 20-month period, 214 patients were eligible, 182 were approached, and 32 missed. We enrolled 145 patients (79.7% enrollment rate), and received surveys from 131 patients (72.0% participation rate). Five participants became ineligible. The final study population was 126 patients. Among the 126 women in the study (mean [SD] age, 53.2 [12.1] years), the mean (SD) knowledge score was 58.5% (16.2%) and did not differ by treatment group (mastectomy only, 55.2% [15.0%]; mastectomy with reconstruction, 60.5% [16.5%]). A total of 82 of 123 participants (66.7%) had a calculated treatment preference of mastectomy only; 39 of these women (47.6%) underwent mastectomy only. A total of 41 participants (32.5%) had a calculated treatment preference of mastectomy with reconstruction; 36 of these women (87.8%) underwent mastectomy with reconstruction. Overall, 52 of 120 participants (43.3%) made a high-quality decision. In multivariable analysis, white race/ethnicity (odds ratio [OR], 2.72; 95% CI, 1.00-7.38; P = .05), having private insurance (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.35-1.93; P < .001), having a high school education or less (vs some college) (OR, 4.84; 95% CI, 1.22-19.21; P = .02), having a college degree (vs some college) (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.53-2.49; P < .001), and not having a malignant neoplasm (eg, BRCA carriers) (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.25-7.85; P = .01) were independently associated with making a high-quality decision. A minority of patients undergoing mastectomy in a single academic center made a high-quality decision about reconstruction. Shared decision making is needed to support decisions about breast reconstruction.

DART: a practical reconstruction algorithm for discrete tomography.

PubMed

Batenburg, Kees Joost; Sijbers, Jan

2011-09-01

In this paper, we present an iterative reconstruction algorithm for discrete tomography, called discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART). DART can be applied if the scanned object is known to consist of only a few different compositions, each corresponding to a constant gray value in the reconstruction. Prior knowledge of the gray values for each of the compositions is exploited to steer the current reconstruction towards a reconstruction that contains only these gray values. Based on experiments with both simulated CT data and experimental μCT data, it is shown that DART is capable of computing more accurate reconstructions from a small number of projection images, or from a small angular range, than alternative methods. It is also shown that DART can deal effectively with noisy projection data and that the algorithm is robust with respect to errors in the estimation of the gray values.

Generative Role of Experiments in Physics and in Teaching Physics: A Suggestion for Epistemological Reconstruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koponen, Ismo T.; Mantyla, Terhi

2006-01-01

In physics teaching experimentality is an integral component in giving the starting point of knowledge formation and conceptualization. However, epistemology of experiments is not often addressed directly in the educational and pedagogical literature. This warrants an attempt to produce an acceptable reconstruction of the epistemological role of…

SEPEC conference proceedings: Hypermedia and Information Reconstruction. Aerospace applications and research directions. Addendum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The papers presented at the conference on hypermedia and information reconstruction are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: hypertext, typographic man, and the notion of literacy; a knowledge base browser using hypermedia; Ai GERM - a logic programming front end for GERM; and HEAVENS system for software artifacts.

LA's Gang-Busters--Lessons Learned.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Suzanne

1989-01-01

Regarded as the nation's gang violence capital, Los Angeles' politicians and law enforcement and school administrators are using knowledge from lost battles to win the war. Solutions include targeting younger children, teaching self-esteem and communication skills, as well as organizing group graffiti cleanups. (SI)

Incus replacement prostheses of hydroxylapatite in middle ear reconstruction.

PubMed

Wehrs, R E

1989-05-01

Hydroxylapatite is a calcium bioceramic that has the same chemical composition as living bone, Ca10 (PO4) 6 (OH) 2. Since 1970 it has been used as a material in reconstructive prostheses and augmentation of lost tissues in various surgical specialties including maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and orthopedics. For over 20 years the author has used autograft and homograft ossicles in tympanoplasty. These incudi have been modified into prostheses that were utilized in ossicular reconstruction. During this time two principle prostheses have evolved, the notched incus with short and long processes. The short process prosthesis is used with an intact stapes, whereas the notched incus with long process carries the sound pressure directly to the stapedial footplate. These prostheses have been successful in improving and maintaining hearing following tympanoplasty. Unfortunately, however, the use of human tissue has certain limitations: it is not readily accessible and has a limited shelf life. Furthermore, clinicians are wary of using homograft tissue as concern over the AIDS virus spreads. Therefore it was felt prudent to develop a manmade prosthesis that would as nearly as possible match the advantages of living bone. Hydroxylapetite most nearly met those qualifications.

Image-Based 3d Reconstruction Data as AN Analysis and Documentation Tool for Architects: the Case of Plaka Bridge in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouimtzoglou, T.; Stathopoulou, E. K.; Agrafiotis, P.; Georgopoulos, A.

2017-02-01

Μodern advances in the field of image-based 3D reconstruction of complex architectures are valuable tools that may offer the researchers great possibilities integrating the use of such procedures in their studies. In the same way that photogrammetry was a well-known useful tool among the cultural heritage community for years, the state of the art reconstruction techniques generate complete and easy to use 3D data, thus enabling engineers, architects and other cultural heritage experts to approach their case studies in an exhaustive and efficient way. The generated data can be a valuable and accurate basis upon which further plans and studies will be drafted. These and other aspects of the use of image-based 3D data for architectural studies are to be presented and analysed in this paper, based on the experience gained from a specific case study, the Plaka Bridge. This historic structure is of particular interest, as it was recently lost due to extreme weather conditions and serves as a strong proof that preventive actions are of utmost importance in order to preserve our common past.

Topology reconstruction for B-Rep modeling from 3D mesh in reverse engineering applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bénière, Roseline; Subsol, Gérard; Gesquière, Gilles; Le Breton, François; Puech, William

2012-03-01

Nowadays, most of the manufactured objects are designed using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software. Nevertheless, for visualization, data exchange or manufacturing applications, the geometric model has to be discretized into a 3D mesh composed of a finite number of vertices and edges. But, in some cases, the initial model may be lost or unavailable. In other cases, the 3D discrete representation may be modified, for example after a numerical simulation, and does not correspond anymore to the initial model. A reverse engineering method is then required to reconstruct a 3D continuous representation from the discrete one. In previous work, we have presented a new approach for 3D geometric primitive extraction. In this paper, to complete our automatic and comprehensive reverse engineering process, we propose a method to construct the topology of the retrieved object. To reconstruct a B-Rep model, a new formalism is now introduced to define the adjacency relations. Then a new process is used to construct the boundaries of the object. The whole process is tested on 3D industrial meshes and bring a solution to recover B-Rep models.

PubMed Central

Tewfik, K.; Cassano, L.; Pederneschi, N.; Catanzaro, S.; Manfuso, A.; Cocchi, R.

2017-01-01

SUMMARY Free flap surgery is overall considered the gold standard in head and neck reconstruction, with a success rate of 95%. The management of a total flap necrosis and which solution, between a pedicled or a second free flap, is safer for a salvage procedure is still controversial. Object of this study is to describe the authors' management of total free flap loss in head and neck reconstruction and compare the choices and results to those reported in the literature. From January 2012 to January 2016, 149 consecutive free flaps were performed at the Maxillo- Facial Operative Unit of the Hospital Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza in San Giovanni Rotondo (Italy) for reconstruction of head and neck defects. Of these, 6 flaps were lost due to a total necrosis. In 5 cases it was decided to harvest a second free flap, and in the remaining patient a temporalis muscle flap was used. All the free salvage flaps were successful, without complications and with a good aesthetic and functional recovery. Analysing the data obtained, and comparing them with those reported in the literature, it can be concluded that a second subsequent free flap can be considered an ideal and safe procedure in salvage surgery. PMID:29165433

The Return of the Siegesburg - 3D-RECONSTRUCTION of a Disappeared and Forgotten Monument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deggim, S.; Kersten, T. P.; Lindstaedt, M.; Hinrichsen, N.

2017-02-01

Many Cultural Heritage (CH) monuments are destroyed in the past and they are often lost forever. If there is no contemporary metric documentation of the historic objects available, the monument and the information about this monument could be disappeared and forgotten forever. The Siegesburg (also known as Segeberg castle) located on the "Kalkberg" (Chalk Mountain) in Bad Segeberg in Northern Germany, is a typical example for such a monument, which was destroyed by Swedish troops at the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1644. This important monument was only documented by a few historic isometric maps, but the castle and even the later castle ruin were totally destructed and demolished over the last centuries and disappeared forever. Furthermore, this significant memorial is even forgotten in many people's mind. This contribution describes the physical and virtual return of the Siegesburg by 3D reconstruction using historic sources. The laboratory for Photogrammetry & Laser Scanning of the HafenCity University Hamburg conducted this project in co-operation with the museum Alt-Segeberger Bürgerhaus (Old-Segeberg town house). The process of the 3D reconstruction and visualisation of both the Kalkberg and the castle is presented in this paper.

Reconstruction of metabolic pathways by combining probabilistic graphical model-based and knowledge-based methods

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Automatic reconstruction of metabolic pathways for an organism from genomics and transcriptomics data has been a challenging and important problem in bioinformatics. Traditionally, known reference pathways can be mapped into an organism-specific ones based on its genome annotation and protein homology. However, this simple knowledge-based mapping method might produce incomplete pathways and generally cannot predict unknown new relations and reactions. In contrast, ab initio metabolic network construction methods can predict novel reactions and interactions, but its accuracy tends to be low leading to a lot of false positives. Here we combine existing pathway knowledge and a new ab initio Bayesian probabilistic graphical model together in a novel fashion to improve automatic reconstruction of metabolic networks. Specifically, we built a knowledge database containing known, individual gene / protein interactions and metabolic reactions extracted from existing reference pathways. Known reactions and interactions were then used as constraints for Bayesian network learning methods to predict metabolic pathways. Using individual reactions and interactions extracted from different pathways of many organisms to guide pathway construction is new and improves both the coverage and accuracy of metabolic pathway construction. We applied this probabilistic knowledge-based approach to construct the metabolic networks from yeast gene expression data and compared its results with 62 known metabolic networks in the KEGG database. The experiment showed that the method improved the coverage of metabolic network construction over the traditional reference pathway mapping method and was more accurate than pure ab initio methods. PMID:25374614

"Apron" flap and re-creation of the inframammary fold following TRAM flap breast reconstruction.

PubMed

Amir, A; Silfen, R; Hauben, D J

2000-03-01

To the best of our knowledge, the recreation of an inframammary fold after TRAM flap breast reconstruction has not yet been described. This article offers a technique for the creation of an inframammary fold as a secondary procedure. The technique has been performed thus far in two patients with good aesthetic outcomes and no postoperative complications. It may also be suitable for adding bulk to the TRAM flap, especially in bilateral breast reconstruction, and for other minor chest deformities.

Pre-operative CT angiography and three-dimensional image post processing for deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstructive surgery.

PubMed

Lam, D L; Mitsumori, L M; Neligan, P C; Warren, B H; Shuman, W P; Dubinsky, T J

2012-12-01

Autologous breast reconstructive surgery with deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) perforator flaps has become the mainstay for breast reconstructive surgery. CT angiography and three-dimensional image post processing can depict the number, size, course and location of the DIEA perforating arteries for the pre-operative selection of the best artery to use for the tissue flap. Knowledge of the location and selection of the optimal perforating artery shortens operative times and decreases patient morbidity.

Frequency of Lost Dogs and Cats in the United States and the Methods Used to Locate Them

PubMed Central

Weiss, Emily; Slater, Margaret; Lord, Linda

2012-01-01

Simple Summary Dogs and cats are a common member of the family in homes across the US. No population-based data exist on the frequency of pets getting lost from the home and lost pets can be a source of human and animal suffering. Our primary objective was to determine the percentage of owned dogs and cats that were lost, and of these, what percentages of pets were recovered. We examined the recovery success for dogs compared to cats and the methods used as well as the relationship between lost or found pets and pet and owner demographics. While 15% of dog and cat owners lost their pets, dogs had higher recovery rates (93%) than cats (75%) as well as being returned using different search methods. Abstract A cross-sectional national random digit dial telephone interview was conducted between September and November 2010. There were 1,015 households that had owned a dog or cat within the past five years. Of these 817 households owned dogs and 506 owned cats. Fourteen percent of dogs (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 11–16%) and 15% (95% CI: 12–18%) of cats were lost in the past five years. No owner demographic variables were associated with losing a pet. Ninety three percent (95% CI: 86–97%) of dogs and 75% (95% CI: 64–85%) of cats were recovered. For dogs, searching the neighborhood and returning on their own were the most common methods of finding the dog; 14% were found through an identification tag. For cats, returning on their own was most common. Dogs were more likely than cats to be lost more than once. Cats were less likely than dogs to have any type of identification. Knowledge of the successful methods of finding dogs and cats can provide invaluable help for owners of lost pets. Since 25% of lost cats were not found, other methods of reuniting cats and their owners are needed. Collars and ID tags or humane trapping could be valuable approaches. PMID:26486923

3D medical volume reconstruction using web services.

PubMed

Kooper, Rob; Shirk, Andrew; Lee, Sang-Chul; Lin, Amy; Folberg, Robert; Bajcsy, Peter

2008-04-01

We address the problem of 3D medical volume reconstruction using web services. The use of proposed web services is motivated by the fact that the problem of 3D medical volume reconstruction requires significant computer resources and human expertise in medical and computer science areas. Web services are implemented as an additional layer to a dataflow framework called data to knowledge. In the collaboration between UIC and NCSA, pre-processed input images at NCSA are made accessible to medical collaborators for registration. Every time UIC medical collaborators inspected images and selected corresponding features for registration, the web service at NCSA is contacted and the registration processing query is executed using the image to knowledge library of registration methods. Co-registered frames are returned for verification by medical collaborators in a new window. In this paper, we present 3D volume reconstruction problem requirements and the architecture of the developed prototype system at http://isda.ncsa.uiuc.edu/MedVolume. We also explain the tradeoffs of our system design and provide experimental data to support our system implementation. The prototype system has been used for multiple 3D volume reconstructions of blood vessels and vasculogenic mimicry patterns in histological sections of uveal melanoma studied by fluorescent confocal laser scanning microscope.

Survival, recurrence, and function after epiphyseal preservation and allograft reconstruction in osteosarcoma of the knee.

PubMed

Aponte-Tinao, Luis; Ayerza, Miguel A; Muscolo, D Luis; Farfalli, Germán L

2015-05-01

Bone tumor resections for limb salvage have become the standard treatment. Recently, intercalary tumor resection with epiphyseal sparing has been used as an alternative in patients with osteosarcoma. The procedure maintains normal joint function and obviates some complications associated with osteoarticular allografts or endoprostheses; however, long-term studies analyzing oncologic outcomes are scarce, and to our knowledge, the concern that a higher local recurrence rate may be an issue has not been addressed. We wanted to assess (1) the overall survival in patients treated with this surgical technique; (2) the percentage of local recurrence and limb survival, specifically the incidence of recurrence in the remaining epiphysis; (3) the frequency of orthopaedic complications, and, (4) the functional outcomes in patients who have undergone intercalary tumor resection. We analyzed all 35 patients with osteosarcomas about the knee (distal femur and proximal tibia) treated at our center between 1991 and 2008 who had resection preserving the epiphysis and reconstruction with intercalary allografts. Minimum followup was 5 years, unless death occurred earlier (mean, 9 years; range, 1-16 years), and no patients were lost to followup. During the study period, our indications for this approach included patients without metastases, with clinical and imaging response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, that a residual epiphysis of at least 1 cm thickness could be available after a surgical margin width in bone of 10 mm was planned, and 16% of patients (35 of 223) meeting these indications were treated using this approach. Using a chart review, we ascertained overall survival of patients, oncologic complications such as local recurrence and tumor progression, limb survival, and orthopaedic complications including infection, fracture, and nonunion. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Patient function was evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS)-93 scoring system. Overall survival rate of the patients was 86% (95% CI, 73%-99%) at 5 and 10 years. Five patients died of disease. No patient had a local recurrence in the remaining bony epiphysis, but three patients (9%; 95% CI, 0%-19%) had local recurrence in the soft tissue. The limb survival rate was 97% (95% CI, 89%-100%) at 5 and 10 years. Complications treated with additional surgical procedures were recorded for 19 patients (54%), including three local recurrences, two infections, 11 fractures, and three nonunions. In 10 of these 19 patients, the allograft was removed. Only five of the total 35 study patients (14%) lost the originally preserved epiphysis owing to complications. The mean functional score was 26 points (range, 10-30 points, with a higher score representing a better result) at final followup. Although the recurrence rate was high in this series, the small sample size means that even one or two fewer recurrences might have resulted in a much more favorable percentage. Because of this, future, larger studies will need to determine whether this is a safe approach, and perhaps should compare epiphyseal preservation with other possible approaches, including endoprosthetic reconstruction and/or osteoarticular allografts. Level IV, therapeutic study.

The LIA history of the "Glacier des Bossons" (Mont Blanc area, France): a new high-resolution glacier length curve based on historical documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nussbaumer, Samuel U.; Zumbühl, Heinz J.

2010-05-01

Historical and proxy-records have documented a partly asynchronous evolution in temperature, precipitation and glacial variations between European regions during the Little Ice Age (LIA), and the causes of these temporal anomalies are yet being poorly understood. To address this question, highly resolved glacier reconstructions going far back in time based on historical documents (for the last 500 years) or on dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating (for the Holocene) are very important as they give valuable insights in past climate. However, such reconstructions exist only for few glaciers worldwide, depending on the public perception and the accessibility of the corresponding glacier and its surrounding area. One of these regions of interest is the well-documented Mont Blanc area. Here, we present a new high-resolution reconstruction of length changes for the "Glacier des Bossons", situated in the French part of the Mont Blanc area. This reconstruction is based on historical material newly discovered, that has not been evaluated so far for glacier reconstructions. More than 200, often unpublished, artworks (paintings, drawings, prints), photographs, maps and written accounts have been critically analysed and give an univocal picture of the glacier's history. Especially noteworthy are the drawings by Jean-Antoine Linck, Samuel Birmann and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc which depict meticulously the glacier's extent during the vast advance and subsequent retreat during the 19th century. The new reconstruction dates back to AD 1580. Maxima of the "Glacier des Bossons" are proved around 1610/1643, 1685, 1712, 1780, 1818, 1854, 1892, 1921, 1941, and 1983. The LIA maximum extent was reached in 1818. Until the present, the glacier has lost about 1.5 kilometres in length, and it is nowadays shorter than at any time during the reconstruction period. The length curve of the "Glacier des Bossons" is finally analysed regarding climate data and also compared with the nearby "Mer de Glace" (glacier reconstruction back to AD 1570 available) and the two Grindelwald glaciers in the Swiss Alps (reconstructions existing back to AD 1535, and 1590, respectively). These two regions are likely the best-documented areas regarding historical glacier data.

Optimal sampling with prior information of the image geometry in microfluidic MRI.

PubMed

Han, S H; Cho, H; Paulsen, J L

2015-03-01

Recent advances in MRI acquisition for microscopic flows enable unprecedented sensitivity and speed in a portable NMR/MRI microfluidic analysis platform. However, the application of MRI to microfluidics usually suffers from prolonged acquisition times owing to the combination of the required high resolution and wide field of view necessary to resolve details within microfluidic channels. When prior knowledge of the image geometry is available as a binarized image, such as for microfluidic MRI, it is possible to reduce sampling requirements by incorporating this information into the reconstruction algorithm. The current approach to the design of the partial weighted random sampling schemes is to bias toward the high signal energy portions of the binarized image geometry after Fourier transformation (i.e. in its k-space representation). Although this sampling prescription is frequently effective, it can be far from optimal in certain limiting cases, such as for a 1D channel, or more generally yield inefficient sampling schemes at low degrees of sub-sampling. This work explores the tradeoff between signal acquisition and incoherent sampling on image reconstruction quality given prior knowledge of the image geometry for weighted random sampling schemes, finding that optimal distribution is not robustly determined by maximizing the acquired signal but from interpreting its marginal change with respect to the sub-sampling rate. We develop a corresponding sampling design methodology that deterministically yields a near optimal sampling distribution for image reconstructions incorporating knowledge of the image geometry. The technique robustly identifies optimal weighted random sampling schemes and provides improved reconstruction fidelity for multiple 1D and 2D images, when compared to prior techniques for sampling optimization given knowledge of the image geometry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polyenergetic known-component reconstruction without prior shape models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, C.; Zbijewski, W.; Zhang, X.; Xu, S.; Stayman, J. W.

2017-03-01

Purpose: Previous work has demonstrated that structural models of surgical tools and implants can be integrated into model-based CT reconstruction to greatly reduce metal artifacts and improve image quality. This work extends a polyenergetic formulation of known-component reconstruction (Poly-KCR) by removing the requirement that a physical model (e.g. CAD drawing) be known a priori, permitting much more widespread application. Methods: We adopt a single-threshold segmentation technique with the help of morphological structuring elements to build a shape model of metal components in a patient scan based on initial filtered-backprojection (FBP) reconstruction. This shape model is used as an input to Poly-KCR, a formulation of known-component reconstruction that does not require a prior knowledge of beam quality or component material composition. An investigation of performance as a function of segmentation thresholds is performed in simulation studies, and qualitative comparisons to Poly-KCR with an a priori shape model are made using physical CBCT data of an implanted cadaver and in patient data from a prototype extremities scanner. Results: We find that model-free Poly-KCR (MF-Poly-KCR) provides much better image quality compared to conventional reconstruction techniques (e.g. FBP). Moreover, the performance closely approximates that of Poly- KCR with an a prior shape model. In simulation studies, we find that imaging performance generally follows segmentation accuracy with slight under- or over-estimation based on the shape of the implant. In both simulation and physical data studies we find that the proposed approach can remove most of the blooming and streak artifacts around the component permitting visualization of the surrounding soft-tissues. Conclusion: This work shows that it is possible to perform known-component reconstruction without prior knowledge of the known component. In conjunction with the Poly-KCR technique that does not require knowledge of beam quality or material composition, very little needs to be known about the metal implant and system beforehand. These generalizations will allow more widespread application of KCR techniques in real patient studies where the information of surgical tools and implants is limited or not available.

Tibial plateau fracture after primary anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a case report.

PubMed

Gobbi, Alberto; Mahajan, Vivek; Karnatzikos, Georgios

2011-05-01

Tibial plateau fracture after primary anatomic double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is rare. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a tibial plateau fracture after primary anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction. In our patient the tibial plateau fracture occurred after a torsional injury to the involved extremity. The fracture occurred 4.5 years after the ACL reconstruction. The fracture was intra-articular Schatzker type IV and had a significant displacement. The patient was treated operatively by open reduction-internal fixation. He recovered well. Copyright © 2011 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lost in Space: Future Force Leaders and Visualization of Space Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-05-26

use terms like “sixth sense” or ESP ( extrasensory perception ) when discussing acts that he categorizes as intuition.120 Intuition is a critical...on knowledge, judgment, experience, education, intelligence, boldness, perception , and character.”110 The manual states that intuitive decision

Sparse magnetic resonance imaging reconstruction using the bregman iteration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dong-Hoon; Hong, Cheol-Pyo; Lee, Man-Woo

2013-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction needs many samples that are sequentially sampled by using phase encoding gradients in a MRI system. It is directly connected to the scan time for the MRI system and takes a long time. Therefore, many researchers have studied ways to reduce the scan time, especially, compressed sensing (CS), which is used for sparse images and reconstruction for fewer sampling datasets when the k-space is not fully sampled. Recently, an iterative technique based on the bregman method was developed for denoising. The bregman iteration method improves on total variation (TV) regularization by gradually recovering the fine-scale structures that are usually lost in TV regularization. In this study, we studied sparse sampling image reconstruction using the bregman iteration for a low-field MRI system to improve its temporal resolution and to validate its usefulness. The image was obtained with a 0.32 T MRI scanner (Magfinder II, SCIMEDIX, Korea) with a phantom and an in-vivo human brain in a head coil. We applied random k-space sampling, and we determined the sampling ratios by using half the fully sampled k-space. The bregman iteration was used to generate the final images based on the reduced data. We also calculated the root-mean-square-error (RMSE) values from error images that were obtained using various numbers of bregman iterations. Our reconstructed images using the bregman iteration for sparse sampling images showed good results compared with the original images. Moreover, the RMSE values showed that the sparse reconstructed phantom and the human images converged to the original images. We confirmed the feasibility of sparse sampling image reconstruction methods using the bregman iteration with a low-field MRI system and obtained good results. Although our results used half the sampling ratio, this method will be helpful in increasing the temporal resolution at low-field MRI systems.

Hybrid x-space: a new approach for MPI reconstruction.

PubMed

Tateo, A; Iurino, A; Settanni, G; Andrisani, A; Stifanelli, P F; Larizza, P; Mazzia, F; Mininni, R M; Tangaro, S; Bellotti, R

2016-06-07

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a new medical imaging technique capable of recovering the distribution of superparamagnetic particles from their measured induced signals. In literature there are two main MPI reconstruction techniques: measurement-based (MB) and x-space (XS). The MB method is expensive because it requires a long calibration procedure as well as a reconstruction phase that can be numerically costly. On the other side, the XS method is simpler than MB but the exact knowledge of the field free point (FFP) motion is essential for its implementation. Our simulation work focuses on the implementation of a new approach for MPI reconstruction: it is called hybrid x-space (HXS), representing a combination of the previous methods. Specifically, our approach is based on XS reconstruction because it requires the knowledge of the FFP position and velocity at each time instant. The difference with respect to the original XS formulation is how the FFP velocity is computed: we estimate it from the experimental measurements of the calibration scans, typical of the MB approach. Moreover, a compressive sensing technique is applied in order to reduce the calibration time, setting a fewer number of sampling positions. Simulations highlight that HXS and XS methods give similar results. Furthermore, an appropriate use of compressive sensing is crucial for obtaining a good balance between time reduction and reconstructed image quality. Our proposal is suitable for open geometry configurations of human size devices, where incidental factors could make the currents, the fields and the FFP trajectory irregular.

Understanding Learning in World Society: Qualitative Reconstructive Research in Global Learning and Learning for Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheunpflug, Annette; Krogull, Susanne; Franz, Julia

2016-01-01

Global learning aims to change behaviour and attitudes. Changes in these areas are not easy to assess. This article discusses the documentary method, which belongs to the group of qualitative reconstructive research methods. The authors argue that this method allows reflection on collective orientations and tacit knowledge. The different steps of…

Trigonometric Transforms for Image Reconstruction

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-01

applying trigo - nometric transforms to image reconstruction problems. Many existing linear image reconstruc- tion techniques rely on knowledge of...ancestors. The research performed for this dissertation represents the first time the symmetric convolution-multiplication property of trigo - nometric...Fourier domain. The traditional representation of these filters will be similar to new trigo - nometric transform versions derived in later chapters

Reduction of Metal Artifact in Single Photon-Counting Computed Tomography by Spectral-Driven Iterative Reconstruction Technique

PubMed Central

Nasirudin, Radin A.; Mei, Kai; Panchev, Petar; Fehringer, Andreas; Pfeiffer, Franz; Rummeny, Ernst J.; Fiebich, Martin; Noël, Peter B.

2015-01-01

Purpose The exciting prospect of Spectral CT (SCT) using photon-counting detectors (PCD) will lead to new techniques in computed tomography (CT) that take advantage of the additional spectral information provided. We introduce a method to reduce metal artifact in X-ray tomography by incorporating knowledge obtained from SCT into a statistical iterative reconstruction scheme. We call our method Spectral-driven Iterative Reconstruction (SPIR). Method The proposed algorithm consists of two main components: material decomposition and penalized maximum likelihood iterative reconstruction. In this study, the spectral data acquisitions with an energy-resolving PCD were simulated using a Monte-Carlo simulator based on EGSnrc C++ class library. A jaw phantom with a dental implant made of gold was used as an object in this study. A total of three dental implant shapes were simulated separately to test the influence of prior knowledge on the overall performance of the algorithm. The generated projection data was first decomposed into three basis functions: photoelectric absorption, Compton scattering and attenuation of gold. A pseudo-monochromatic sinogram was calculated and used as input in the reconstruction, while the spatial information of the gold implant was used as a prior. The results from the algorithm were assessed and benchmarked with state-of-the-art reconstruction methods. Results Decomposition results illustrate that gold implant of any shape can be distinguished from other components of the phantom. Additionally, the result from the penalized maximum likelihood iterative reconstruction shows that artifacts are significantly reduced in SPIR reconstructed slices in comparison to other known techniques, while at the same time details around the implant are preserved. Quantitatively, the SPIR algorithm best reflects the true attenuation value in comparison to other algorithms. Conclusion It is demonstrated that the combination of the additional information from Spectral CT and statistical reconstruction can significantly improve image quality, especially streaking artifacts caused by the presence of materials with high atomic numbers. PMID:25955019

Lost Leaders: Women in the Global Academy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morley, Louise

2014-01-01

Drawing on data gathered from British Council seminars in Hong Kong, Tokyo and Dubai on "Absent Talent: Women in Research and Academic Leadership" (2012-2013), this paper discusses academic women's experiences and explanations for women's under-representation as knowledge leaders and producers in the global academy. Participants from…

Local Semantic Trace: A Method to Analyze Very Small and Unstructured Texts for Propositional Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirnay-Dummer, Pablo

2015-01-01

A local semantic trace is a certain quasi-propositional structure that can still be reconstructed from written content that is incomplete or does not follow a proper grammar. It can also retrace bits of knowledge from text containing only very few words, making the microstructure of these artifacts of knowledge externalization available for…

Historical versus contemporary medicinal plant uses in the US Virgin Islands.

PubMed

Soelberg, J; Davis, O; Jäger, A K

2016-11-04

Hidden in the documents of the dark past of the trans-Atlantic slavery are gems of ethnomedicinal observations, supported by herbarium specimens, which tell of the traditional medicine of a by-gone slave society in the Caribbean. In the context of the former Danish West Indies (now US Virgin Islands), we identify pre-1900 medicinal plants and their historical uses, and trace their status in the traditional medicine of St. Croix today (2014). By a combined historical and ethnobotanical approach we assess the scale of loss and preservation of traditional medicinal knowledge on St. Croix, and explore the drivers involved in the disappearance of knowledge in the oral tradition of medicine. Names, uses and identities of 18th and 19th century medicinal plant uses in the Danish West Indies were derived from manuscripts and publications of Von Rohr (1757/58), Oldendorp (1777), West (1793), Benzon (1822), Riise (1853), Eggers (1876;1879) and Berg and Eggers (1888). The presence of the plant species in the pre-1900 Danish West Indies was confirmed by review of herbarium specimens in the University of Copenhagen Herbarium (C). The same species were collected on St. Croix in 2014 or their ecological status discussed with local specialists. Semi-structured interviews supported by photographs and specimens were conducted with six medicinal plant specialist on St. Croix, to document and compare contemporary names and uses of the historically used medicinal plants. The historic ethnomedicinal sources revealed 102 medicinal uses of 64 plant species. Thirty-eight (37%) of the pre-1900 medicinal uses were traced in interviews, while sixty-four uses (63%) appear to be forgotten, discontinued or otherwise lost. Thirteen species appear to have entirely lost their status as medicinal plants on St. Croix, while 32 species (50%) have lost uses while retaining or gaining others. While 20% of the lost medicinal plant uses can be explained by biodiversity loss, and others likely have become obsolete due to advances in public health and scientific medicine, 33 of the 64 lost medicinal uses of non-rare species uses fall in the same categories as the preserved uses (fever, stomach, wound, laxative, pulmonary, intestinal, pain, anthelmintic, blood purifier, eye-inflammation). We therefore argue that at least half of the known pre-1900 medicinal plant uses have become culturally extinct for other reasons than to biodiversity loss or modern obsoleteness. The present study utilized knowledge from an oral medicinal tradition, documented in the context of a colonial society. Without doubt, basis for further similar studies exists in the more or less accessible archives, herbaria and collections of former colonial powers. Such studies could directly benefit the descendants of the original intellectual property holders culturally and economically, or serve as stepping stones to integrate, or re-integrate, lost medicinal plant uses in both local and wider evidence-based contexts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Our Treatment Approaches in Severe Maxillofacial Injuries Occurring After Failed Suicide Attempts Using Long-Barreled Guns.

PubMed

Kucuker, Ismail; Şimşek, Tekin; Keles, Musa Kemal; Yosma, Engin; Aksakal, Ibrahim Alper; Demir, Ahmet

2016-03-01

Maxillofacial traumas with long-barreled guns may sometimes cause catastrophic results by means of smashing in facial structures. In these patients, reconstruction strategies of both fragmented/lost soft and hard tissues still remain controversial. In their clinic, the authors treated 5 patients with severely injured face after failed suicide attempt between 2008 and 2013. In this study, the authors aimed to present their clinical experiences on these severely injured maxillofacial gunshot traumas and offer a treatment algorithm to gain a result as possible as satisfactory in terms of functionality and appearance.

Geometric integration for particle accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forest, Étienne

2006-05-01

This paper is a very personal view of the field of geometric integration in accelerator physics—a field where often work of the highest quality is buried in lost technical notes or even not published; one has only to think of Simon van der Meer Nobel prize work on stochastic cooling—unpublished in any refereed journal. So I reconstructed the relevant history of geometrical integration in accelerator physics as much as I could by talking to collaborators and using my own understanding of the field. The reader should not be too surprised if this account is somewhere between history, science and perhaps even fiction.

The 1922 Einstein Film: Cinematic Innovation and Public Controversy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wazeck, Milena

2010-06-01

In 1922 Hanns Walter Kornblum produced a long and comprehensive educational film on Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity that made extensive use of trick shots. His film was considered to be a milestone in the history of film and also in the popularization of science. Although the original film has been lost, I have reconstructed its content and its reception by members of the German film industry and cultural sector, laymen, scientists and academics, and politically motivated opponents based upon the large collection of newspaper clippings that was assembled by the antirelativist physicist Ernst Gehrcke.

Use of letter writing as a means of integrating an altered body image: a case study.

PubMed

Rancour, Patricia; Brauer, Kathryn

2003-01-01

To describe the use of letter writing as a technique to assist patients in adjusting to an altered body image after dramatic cancer treatment. Published articles and books. Gestalt therapy, psychosynthesis, and journaling techniques evolve into a technique that can assist patients who are challenged to accept altered body parts. Described in a case study presentation, letter writing was found to assist female patients with recurrent breast cancer in adjusting to reconstruction of lost breasts. Nurses can use letter writing as a means of assisting patients through the grief process associated with body image alterations.

Piercing the upper ear: a simple infection, a difficult reconstruction.

PubMed

Cicchetti, S; Skillman, J; Gault, D T

2002-04-01

Piercing the upper ear to retain jewellery is now commonplace. When infection ensues, devastating chondritis leads to collapse of the ear. To our knowledge, the surgical reconstruction of post-piercing deformities has not been documented in the literature. We present five such cases referred for autogenous-tissue ear reconstruction. In four of these, the destroyed segments of ear cartilage were replaced with a carved costal-cartilage framework. One patient declined surgery. The importance of preventing infection is stressed. Copyright 2002 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons.

Comparison of Knowledge-based Iterative Model Reconstruction and Hybrid Reconstruction Techniques for Liver CT Evaluation of Hypervascular Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PubMed

Park, Hyun Jeong; Lee, Jeong Min; Park, Sung Bin; Lee, Jong Beum; Jeong, Yoong Ki; Yoon, Jeong Hee

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the image quality, lesion conspicuity, and dose reduction provided by knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction (IMR) in computed tomography (CT) of the liver compared with hybrid iterative reconstruction (IR) and filtered back projection (FBP) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Fifty-six patients with 61 HCCs who underwent multiphasic reduced-dose CT (RDCT; n = 33) or standard-dose CT (SDCT; n = 28) were retrospectively evaluated. Reconstructed images with FBP, hybrid IR (iDose), IMR were evaluated for image quality using CT attenuation and image noise. Objective and subjective image quality of RDCT and SDCT sets were independently assessed by 2 observers in a blinded manner. Image quality and lesion conspicuity were better with IMR for both RDCT and SDCT than either FBP or IR (P < 0.001). Contrast-to-noise ratio of HCCs in IMR-RDCT was significantly higher on delayed phase (DP) (P < 0.001), and comparable on arterial phase, than with IR-SDCT (P = 0.501). Iterative model reconstruction RDCT was significantly superior to FBP-SDCT (P < 0.001). Compared with IR-SDCT, IMR-RDCT was comparable in image sharpness and tumor conspicuity on arterial phase, and superior in image quality, noise, and lesion conspicuity on DP. With the use of IMR, a 27% reduction of effective dose was achieved with RDCT (12.7 ± 0.6 mSv) compared with SDCT (17.4 ± 1.1 mSv) without loss of image quality (P < 0.001). Iterative model reconstruction provides better image quality and tumor conspicuity than FBP and IR with considerable noise reduction. In addition, more than comparable results were achieved with IMR-RDCT to IR-SDCT for the evaluation of HCCs.

Simultaneous CT-MRI Reconstruction for Constrained Imaging Geometries using Structural Coupling and Compressive Sensing

PubMed Central

Xi, Yan; Zhao, Jun; Bennett, James R.; Stacy, Mitchel R.; Sinusas, Albert J.; Wang, Ge

2016-01-01

Objective A unified reconstruction framework is presented for simultaneous CT-MRI reconstruction. Significance Combined CT-MRI imaging has the potential for improved results in existing preclinical and clinical applications, as well as opening novel research directions for future applications. Methods In an ideal CT-MRI scanner, CT and MRI acquisitions would occur simultaneously, and hence would be inherently registered in space and time. Alternatively, separately acquired CT and MRI scans can be fused to simulate an instantaneous acquisition. In this study, structural coupling and compressive sensing techniques are combined to unify CT and MRI reconstructions. A bidirectional image estimation method was proposed to connect images from different modalities. Hence, CT and MRI data serve as prior knowledge to each other for better CT and MRI image reconstruction than what could be achieved with separate reconstruction. Results Our integrated reconstruction methodology is demonstrated with numerical phantom and real-dataset based experiments, and has yielded promising results. PMID:26672028

Conceptual Variation or Incoherence? Textbook Discourse on Genes in Six Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gericke, Niklas M.; Hagberg, Mariana; dos Santos, Vanessa Carvalho; Joaquim, Leyla Mariane; El-Hani, Charbel N.

2014-02-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate in a systematic and comparative way previous results of independent studies on the treatment of genes and gene function in high school textbooks from six different countries. We analyze how the conceptual variation within the scientific domain of Genetics regarding gene function models and gene concepts is transformed via the didactic transposition into school science textbooks. The results indicate that a common textbook discourse on genes and their function exist in textbooks from the different countries. The structure of science as represented by conceptual variation and the use of multiple models was present in all the textbooks. However, the existence of conceptual variation and multiple models is implicit in these textbooks, i.e., the phenomenon of conceptual variation and multiple models are not addressed explicitly, nor its consequences and, thus, it ends up introducing conceptual incoherence about the gene concept and its function within the textbooks. We conclude that within the found textbook-discourse ontological aspects of the academic disciplines of genetics and molecular biology were retained, but without their epistemological underpinnings; these are lost in the didactic transposition. These results are of interest since students might have problems reconstructing the correct scientific understanding from the transformed school science knowledge as depicted within the high school textbooks. Implications for textbook writing as well as teaching are discussed in the paper.

Free flap reconstruction of the sole of the foot with or without sensory nerve coaptation.

PubMed

Santanelli, Fabio; Tenna, Stefania; Pace, Andrea; Scuderi, Nicolò

2002-06-01

The authors present a retrospective study on major plantar foot reconstruction to evaluate the role of the free fasciocutaneous flap and the importance of sensory nerve reconstruction in improving long-term results. Between 1995 and 1999, 20 patients with major defects of the sole of the foot underwent free forearm flap reconstruction performed by the senior author (F.S.). Sensory nerve reconstruction was added to this technique in 1997. The age and sex of the patients and the cause, location, and dimensions of their defects were recorded. The patients were clinically and neurophysiologically evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure for the following parameters: flap contour, flap stability, load capacity, walking ability, touch sensation, pain sensation, static two-point discrimination, and thermal sensibility. Dermatomic somatosensory-evoked potentials were also tested at 12 months. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 5 years. Patients were divided into two groups according to sensory nerve reconstruction. Group A consisted of 11 patients with nerve repair, and group B consisted of nine patients without nerve repair. One patient from group A who had an idiopathic neuropathy was excluded from the study because of interference with the reinnervation process. Five more patients (three from group A and two from group B) were lost at follow-up and excluded from the study. The final sample size in each group was seven. Data from both groups were compared and statistically analyzed with the Mann-Whitney test and the Fisher exact test. Long-term results confirmed in all reconstructions long-lasting stability. During the first postoperative year, patients with sensory nerve reconstruction showed better sensibility. The statistical analyses confirmed significant differences between the two groups to be dependent upon surgical technique at 3 and 6 months. Two-point discrimination and dermatomic somatosensory-evoked potentials were recorded. After 12 months, flaps without surgical nerve repair showed progressive improvement of sensitive thresholds, achieving a good protective sensibility, similar to that of the other group, but these flaps never regained two-point discrimination or dermatomic somatosensory-evoked potentials.

Impact of Summer Recess on Mathematics Learning Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hornack, David

2016-01-01

School administrators across the nation are actively searching for solutions to increase student achievement due in part to the significant amount of knowledge that is lost annually each summer. Mathematical computation skills are especially at-risk. This quantitative research study was designed to investigate the impact of summer recess also…

Design Sketching: A Lost Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Todd R.

2017-01-01

As national STEM initiatives focus on engineering design as a STEM integrator, a more important concern for K-12 educators should be teaching design fundamentals and using these experiences to help students obtain STEM content knowledge. There appears however, to be little instruction and emphasis on building students' design-sketching skills in…

Evaluating Learning Outcomes: In Search of Lost Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Stephen; Brancaleone, David

2011-01-01

This paper examines the concept, pervasive policy and practice of learning outcomes, as increasingly adopted and officially supported in third-level educational institutions. It begins by outlining the context and development of learning outcomes from European and Irish educational policy perspectives. We go on to explore how learning outcomes…

Example-based super-resolution for single-image analysis from the Chang'e-1 Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fan-Lu; Wang, Xiang-Jun

2016-11-01

Due to the low spatial resolution of images taken from the Chang'e-1 (CE-1) orbiter, the details of the lunar surface are blurred and lost. Considering the limited spatial resolution of image data obtained by a CCD camera on CE-1, an example-based super-resolution (SR) algorithm is employed to obtain high-resolution (HR) images. SR reconstruction is important for the application of image data to increase the resolution of images. In this article, a novel example-based algorithm is proposed to implement SR reconstruction by single-image analysis, and the computational cost is reduced compared to other example-based SR methods. The results show that this method can enhance the resolution of images using SR and recover detailed information about the lunar surface. Thus it can be used for surveying HR terrain and geological features. Moreover, the algorithm is significant for the HR processing of remotely sensed images obtained by other imaging systems.

Coding and transmission of subband coded images on the Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wah, Benjamin W.; Su, Xiao

2001-09-01

Subband-coded images can be transmitted in the Internet using either the TCP or the UDP protocol. Delivery by TCP gives superior decoding quality but with very long delays when the network is unreliable, whereas delivery by UDP has negligible delays but with degraded quality when packets are lost. Although images are delivered currently over the Internet by TCP, we study in this paper the use of UDP to deliver multi-description reconstruction-based subband-coded images. First, in order to facilitate recovery from UDP packet losses, we propose a joint sender-receiver approach for designing optimized reconstruction-based subband transform (ORB-ST) in multi-description coding (MDC). Second, we carefully evaluate the delay-quality trade-offs between the TCP delivery of SDC images and the UDP and combined TCP/UDP delivery of MDC images. Experimental results show that our proposed ORB-ST performs well in real Internet tests, and UDP and combined TCP/UDP delivery of MDC images provide a range of attractive alternatives to TCP delivery.

A Rotating Scatter Mask for Inexpensive Gamma-Ray Imaging in Orphan Source Search: Simulation Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

FitzGerald, Jack G. M.

2015-02-01

The Rotating Scatter Mask (RSM) system is an inexpensive retrofit that provides imaging capabilities to scintillating detectors. Unlike traditional collimator systems that primarily absorb photons in order to form an image, this system primarily scatters the photons. Over a single rotation, there is a unique, smooth response curve for each defined source position. Testing was conducted using MCNPX simulations. Image reconstruction was performed using a chi-squared reconstruction technique. A simulated 100 uCi, Cs-137 source at 10 meters was detected after a single, 50-second rotation when a uniform terrestrial background was present. A Cs-137 extended source was also tested. The RSM field-of-view is 360 degrees azimuthally as well as 54 degrees above and 54 degrees below the horizontal plane. Since the RSM is built from polyethylene, the overall cost and weight of the system is low. The system was designed to search for lost or stolen radioactive material, also known as the orphan source problem.

Threefold rotational symmetry in hexagonally shaped core-shell (In,Ga)As/GaAs nanowires revealed by coherent X-ray diffraction imaging.

PubMed

Davtyan, Arman; Krause, Thilo; Kriegner, Dominik; Al-Hassan, Ali; Bahrami, Danial; Mostafavi Kashani, Seyed Mohammad; Lewis, Ryan B; Küpers, Hanno; Tahraoui, Abbes; Geelhaar, Lutz; Hanke, Michael; Leake, Steven John; Loffeld, Otmar; Pietsch, Ullrich

2017-06-01

Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging at symmetric hhh Bragg reflections was used to resolve the structure of GaAs/In 0.15 Ga 0.85 As/GaAs core-shell-shell nanowires grown on a silicon (111) substrate. Diffraction amplitudes in the vicinity of GaAs 111 and GaAs 333 reflections were used to reconstruct the lost phase information. It is demonstrated that the structure of the core-shell-shell nanowire can be identified by means of phase contrast. Interestingly, it is found that both scattered intensity in the (111) plane and the reconstructed scattering phase show an additional threefold symmetry superimposed with the shape function of the investigated hexagonal nanowires. In order to find the origin of this threefold symmetry, elasticity calculations were performed using the finite element method and subsequent kinematic diffraction simulations. These suggest that a non-hexagonal (In,Ga)As shell covering the hexagonal GaAs core might be responsible for the observation.

Leptonic Unitarity Triangle and CP-Violation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farzan, Yasaman

2002-02-01

The area of the unitarity triangle is a measure of CP-violation. We introduce the leptonic unitarity triangles and study their properties. We consider the possibility of reconstructing the unitarity triangle in future oscillation and non-oscillation experiments. A set of measurements is suggested which will, in principle, allow us to measure all sides of the triangle, and consequently to establish CP-violation. For different values of the CP-violating phase, {delta}{sub D}, the required accuracy of measurements is estimated. The key elements of the method include determination of |U{sub e3}| and studies of the {nu}{sub {mu}} - {nu}{sub {mu}} survival probability in oscillationsmore » driven by the solar mass splitting {Delta}m{sub sun}{sup 2}. We suggest additional astrophysical measurements which may help to reconstruct the triangle. The method of the unitarity triangle is complementary to the direct measurements of CP-asymmetry. It requires mainly studies of the survival probabilities and processes where oscillations are averaged or the coherence of the state is lost.« less

MRI Superresolution Using Self-Similarity and Image Priors

PubMed Central

Manjón, José V.; Coupé, Pierrick; Buades, Antonio; Collins, D. Louis; Robles, Montserrat

2010-01-01

In Magnetic Resonance Imaging typical clinical settings, both low- and high-resolution images of different types are routinarily acquired. In some cases, the acquired low-resolution images have to be upsampled to match with other high-resolution images for posterior analysis or postprocessing such as registration or multimodal segmentation. However, classical interpolation techniques are not able to recover the high-frequency information lost during the acquisition process. In the present paper, a new superresolution method is proposed to reconstruct high-resolution images from the low-resolution ones using information from coplanar high resolution images acquired of the same subject. Furthermore, the reconstruction process is constrained to be physically plausible with the MR acquisition model that allows a meaningful interpretation of the results. Experiments on synthetic and real data are supplied to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. A comparison with classical state-of-the-art interpolation techniques is presented to demonstrate the improved performance of the proposed methodology. PMID:21197094

Reconstructing Ion Spectra from Low-Altitude ENAs: Moderate to Large Storms.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LLera, K.; Goldstein, J.; McComas, D. J.; Valek, P. W.

2015-12-01

Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers (TWINS) Energetic neutral atom (ENA) imagers regularly observe Low-altitude Emission (LAE) intensifications during geomagnetic storm intervals. Since LAEs are produced by the interaction between ions and the near-Earth exosphere (altitudes ~200-800 km), they are a global signature of how the ring current decays in response to solar wind conditions. In this "optically thick" region, an ENA readily becomes reionized, and an ion is readily neutralized. Therefore, emerging ENAs that contribute to the LAE signal (detectable several RE away) have undergone multiple charge exchange and electron stripping interactions. Accounting for the ~36 eV energy loss per interaction, we developed a model to quantify the total energy lost by emergent LAEs. The analytical tool is applied to an ensemble of moderate to large storms (including the recent 17 March and 23 June storms in 2015) to reconstruct the parent ion spectra from TWINS ENA images. We examine the ion spectra energy characteristics among the various storm events.

Mastectomy, body deconstruction, and impact on identity: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Piot-Ziegler, C; Sassi, M-L; Raffoul, W; Delaloye, J-F

2010-09-01

This qualitative study aims at understanding the consequences of body deconstruction through mastectomy on corporality and identity in women with breast cancer. Nineteen women were contacted through the hospital. All had to undergo mastectomy. Some were offered immediate breast reconstruction, others, because of cancer treatments, had no planned reconstruction. A qualitative reflexive methodological background was chosen. Women were invited to participate in three semi-structured interviews, one shortly before or after mastectomy, and the other interviews later in their illness courses, after surgery. All interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed. The analysis of the first interview of each woman is presented in this article. Mastectomy provokes a painful experience of body deconstruction. Even when immediate reconstruction is proposed, contrasted feelings and dissonance are expressed when comparing the former healthy body to the present challenged body entity. Body transformations are accompanied with experiences of mutilation, strangeness, and modify the physical, emotional social, symbolic and relational dimensions of the woman's gendered identity. Although the opportunity of breast reconstruction is seen as a possible recovery of a lost physical symmetry and body integrity, grieving the past body and integrating a new corporality leads to a painful identity crisis. With mastectomy, the roots of the woman's identity are challenged, leading to a re-evaluation of her existential values. The consequences of mastectomy transform the woman's corporality and embodiment, and question her identity. Psychological support is discussed in the perspective of our results.

A new material for tissue engineered vagina reconstruction: Acellular porcine vagina matrix.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing-Kun; Du, Run-Xuan; Zhang, Lin; Li, Ya-Nan; Zhang, Ming-Le; Zhao, Shuo; Huang, Xiang-Hua; Xu, Yan-Fang

2017-07-01

Acellular matrix materials have been widely used to repair various tissues and organs. According to the plastic principle, when a part of the body is lost, it should be replaced with a similar material. Therefore, the use of a homologous organ-specific acellular vaginal tissue in vagina reconstruction repair surgery may show good results. However, the acellular vagina matrix (AVM) form large vertebrates is difficult to isolate. In this study, we described a multistep method to prepare porcine AVM and evaluated the efficacy of acellularization. We also investigated the biomechanical properties, biological activity elements, and biocompatibility of the porcine AVM. We then used this material to reconstruct a rat vagina and performed further morphologic and functional analyses. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS), which is a commonly used acellular matrix material, was used in a control group. Histological examination, DNA content analysis, and agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that the decellularization procedure was effective. The AVM had acceptable biomechanical properties and sufficient growth factor production (VEGF, FGF, TGF-β1, and PDGF-BB) compared with that of the SIS. Subcutaneous transplantation in rats showed that the AVM had good biocompatibility. The tissue-engineered vagina using the AVM more resembled normal-appearing tissue than did that using SIS following morphologic and functional analyses. The AVM has great potential for application in vaginal reconstructive surgery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1949-1959, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Photoacoustic image reconstruction via deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antholzer, Stephan; Haltmeier, Markus; Nuster, Robert; Schwab, Johannes

2018-02-01

Applying standard algorithms to sparse data problems in photoacoustic tomography (PAT) yields low-quality images containing severe under-sampling artifacts. To some extent, these artifacts can be reduced by iterative image reconstruction algorithms which allow to include prior knowledge such as smoothness, total variation (TV) or sparsity constraints. These algorithms tend to be time consuming as the forward and adjoint problems have to be solved repeatedly. Further, iterative algorithms have additional drawbacks. For example, the reconstruction quality strongly depends on a-priori model assumptions about the objects to be recovered, which are often not strictly satisfied in practical applications. To overcome these issues, in this paper, we develop direct and efficient reconstruction algorithms based on deep learning. As opposed to iterative algorithms, we apply a convolutional neural network, whose parameters are trained before the reconstruction process based on a set of training data. For actual image reconstruction, a single evaluation of the trained network yields the desired result. Our presented numerical results (using two different network architectures) demonstrate that the proposed deep learning approach reconstructs images with a quality comparable to state of the art iterative reconstruction methods.

Understanding the factors that influence breast reconstruction decision making in Australian women.

PubMed

Somogyi, Ron Barry; Webb, Angela; Baghdikian, Nairy; Stephenson, John; Edward, Karen-Leigh; Morrison, Wayne

2015-04-01

Breast reconstruction is safe and improves quality of life. Despite this, many women do not undergo breast reconstruction and the reasons for this are poorly understood. This study aims to identify the factors that influence a woman's decision whether or not to have breast reconstruction and to better understand their attitudes toward reconstruction. An online survey was distributed to breast cancer patients from Breast Cancer Network Australia. Results were tabulated, described qualitatively and analyzed for significance using a multiple logistic regression model. 501 mastectomy patients completed surveys, of which 62% had undergone breast reconstruction. Factors that positively influenced likelihood of reconstruction included lower age, bilateral mastectomy, access to private hospitals, decreased home/work responsibilities, increased level of home support and early discussion of reconstructive options. Most common reasons for avoiding reconstruction included "I don't feel the need" and "I don't want more surgery". The most commonly sited sources of reconstruction information came from the breast surgeon followed by the plastic surgeon then the breast cancer nurse and the most influential of these was the plastic surgeon. A model using factors easily obtained on clinical history can be used to understand likelihood of reconstruction. This knowledge may help identify barriers to reconstruction, ultimately improving the clinicians' ability to appropriately educate mastectomy patients and ensure effective decision making around breast reconstruction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learners' strategies for reconstructing cognitive frameworks and navigating conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrott, Annette M.

Problem. Science teachers are charged with preparing students to become scientifically literate individuals. Teachers are given curriculum that specifies the knowledge that students should come away with; however, they are not necessarily aware of the knowledge with which the student arrives or how best to help them navigate between the two knowledge states. Educators must be aware, not only of where their students are conceptually, but how their students move from their prior knowledge and naive theories, to scientifically acceptable theories. The understanding of how students navigate this course has the potential to revolutionize educational practices. Methods. This study explored how five 9th grade biology students reconstructed their cognitive frameworks and navigated conceptual change from prior conception to consensual genetics knowledge. The research questions investigated were: (1) how do students in the process of changing their naive science theories to accepted science theories describe their journey from prior knowledge to current conception, and (2) what are the methods that students utilize to bridge the gap between alternate and consensual science conceptions to effect conceptual change. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to gather and analyze the data. In depth, semi-structured interviews formed the primary data for probing the context and details of students' conceptual change experience. Primary interview data was coded by thematic analysis. Results and discussion. This study revealed information about students' perceived roles in learning, the role of articulation in the conceptual change process, and ways in which a community of learners aids conceptual change. It was ascertained that students see their role in learning primarily as repeating information until they could add that information to their knowledge. Students are more likely to consider challenges to their conceptual frameworks and be more motivated to become active participants in constructing their knowledge when they are working collaboratively with peers instead of receiving instruction from their teacher. Articulation was found to be instrumental in aiding learners in identifying their alternate conceptions as well as in revisiting, investigating and reconstructing their conceptual frameworks. Based on the assumptions generated, suggestions were offered to inform pedagogical practice in support of the conceptual change process.

Supraclavicular artery perforator flap in management of post-burn neck reconstruction: clinical experience

PubMed Central

Ismail, H.; Elshobaky, A.

2016-01-01

Summary Anterior cervical contractures of the neck represent a great challenge for plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Necks can be reconstructed with a wide range of surgical techniques, including chimeric flaps, supercharged flap, pre-expanded flaps, “superthin” flaps and perforator flaps. The supraclavicular flap is easy to harvest without the need for free tissue transfer. It provides a relatively large flap for neck resurfacing with tissue very similar to that of the neck. Between January 2013 and March 2015, 20 patients suffering from postburn neck contracture underwent reconstruction with 20 unilateral supraclavicular artery perforator flaps. Nineteen patients had post-burn neck contractures (9 cases type Іc, 10 cases type Пc) while only one had post-burn granulation tissue in the neck. We harvested fifteen flaps from the right side and five from the left. Size of the reconstructed defect ranged from 23x10 to14x6, and flap size varied from 25/11 to 16/7cm. Period of follow up ranged from 27-2months (average 12.3). Nineteen flaps survived well (95% survival rate): only one was lost due to iatrogenic extensive dissection over the pedicle. Five cases showed distal superficial epidermolysis, and 2 cases showed 2 cm complete distal necrosis. All patients were managed conservatively. Our results coincide with other literature results confirming the efficacy and rich vascularity of this flap. In all cases with distal partial necrosis, flaps were 23 cm or more. We recommend that supraclavicular flaps of more than 22 cm in length are not harvested immediately and that flaps are expanded before harvesting. Expanding the supraclavicular flap increases its surface area and decreases donor site morbidity. PMID:28149252

CoryneRegNet: an ontology-based data warehouse of corynebacterial transcription factors and regulatory networks.

PubMed

Baumbach, Jan; Brinkrolf, Karina; Czaja, Lisa F; Rahmann, Sven; Tauch, Andreas

2006-02-14

The application of DNA microarray technology in post-genomic analysis of bacterial genome sequences has allowed the generation of huge amounts of data related to regulatory networks. This data along with literature-derived knowledge on regulation of gene expression has opened the way for genome-wide reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks. These large-scale reconstructions can be converted into in silico models of bacterial cells that allow a systematic analysis of network behavior in response to changing environmental conditions. CoryneRegNet was designed to facilitate the genome-wide reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks of corynebacteria relevant in biotechnology and human medicine. During the import and integration process of data derived from experimental studies or literature knowledge CoryneRegNet generates links to genome annotations, to identified transcription factors and to the corresponding cis-regulatory elements. CoryneRegNet is based on a multi-layered, hierarchical and modular concept of transcriptional regulation and was implemented by using the relational database management system MySQL and an ontology-based data structure. Reconstructed regulatory networks can be visualized by using the yFiles JAVA graph library. As an application example of CoryneRegNet, we have reconstructed the global transcriptional regulation of a cellular module involved in SOS and stress response of corynebacteria. CoryneRegNet is an ontology-based data warehouse that allows a pertinent data management of regulatory interactions along with the genome-scale reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks. These models can further be combined with metabolic networks to build integrated models of cellular function including both metabolism and its transcriptional regulation.

Classroom Action Research on Formative Assessment in a Context-Based Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogelzang, Johannes; Admiraal, Wilfried F.

2017-01-01

Context-based science courses stimulate students to reconstruct the information presented by connecting to their prior knowledge and experiences. However, students need support. Formative assessments inform both teacher and students about students' knowledge deficiencies and misconceptions and how students can be supported. Research on formative…

From Noise to Order: The Psychological Development of Knowledge and Phenocopy in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piaget, Jean

1975-01-01

Shows that one of the most general processes in the development of cognitive structures consists in replacing exogenous knowledge by endogenous reconstructions that reconstitute the same forms but incorporate them into systems whose internal composition is a pre-requisite. Biologically equivalent process is discussed. (Author/AM)

A community effort towards a knowledge-base and mathematical model of the human pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium LT2

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Metabolic reconstructions (MRs) are common denominators in systems biology and represent biochemical, genetic, and genomic (BiGG) knowledge-bases for target organisms by capturing currently available information in a consistent, structured manner. Salmonella enterica subspecies I serovar Typhimurium...

Liquid argon TPC signal formation, signal processing and reconstruction techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baller, B.

2017-07-01

This document describes a reconstruction chain that was developed for the ArgoNeuT and MicroBooNE experiments at Fermilab. These experiments study accelerator neutrino interactions that occur in a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber. Reconstructing the properties of particles produced in these interactions benefits from the knowledge of the micro-physics processes that affect the creation and transport of ionization electrons to the readout system. A wire signal deconvolution technique was developed to convert wire signals to a standard form for hit reconstruction, to remove artifacts in the electronics chain and to remove coherent noise. A unique clustering algorithm reconstructs line-like trajectories and vertices in two dimensions which are then matched to create of 3D objects. These techniques and algorithms are available to all experiments that use the LArSoft suite of software.

3D tomographic reconstruction using geometrical models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Battle, Xavier L.; Cunningham, Gregory S.; Hanson, Kenneth M.

1997-04-01

We address the issue of reconstructing an object of constant interior density in the context of 3D tomography where there is prior knowledge about the unknown shape. We explore the direct estimation of the parameters of a chosen geometrical model from a set of radiographic measurements, rather than performing operations (segmentation for example) on a reconstructed volume. The inverse problem is posed in the Bayesian framework. A triangulated surface describes the unknown shape and the reconstruction is computed with a maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate. The adjoint differentiation technique computes the derivatives needed for the optimization of the model parameters. We demonstrate the usefulness of the approach and emphasize the techniques of designing forward and adjoint codes. We use the system response of the University of Arizona Fast SPECT imager to illustrate this method by reconstructing the shape of a heart phantom.

A hierarchical Bayesian method for vibration-based time domain force reconstruction problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiaofeng; Lu, Qiuhai

2018-05-01

Traditional force reconstruction techniques require prior knowledge on the force nature to determine the regularization term. When such information is unavailable, the inappropriate term is easily chosen and the reconstruction result becomes unsatisfactory. In this paper, we propose a novel method to automatically determine the appropriate q as in ℓq regularization and reconstruct the force history. The method incorporates all to-be-determined variables such as the force history, precision parameters and q into a hierarchical Bayesian formulation. The posterior distributions of variables are evaluated by a Metropolis-within-Gibbs sampler. The point estimates of variables and their uncertainties are given. Simulations of a cantilever beam and a space truss under various loading conditions validate the proposed method in providing adaptive determination of q and better reconstruction performance than existing Bayesian methods.

Cetacean Swimming with Prosthetic Limbs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bode-Oke, Ayodeji; Ren, Yan; Dong, Haibo; Fish, Frank

2016-11-01

During entanglement in fishing gear, dolphins can suffer abrasions and amputations of flukes and fins. As a result, if the dolphin survives the ordeal, swimming performance is altered. Current rehabilitation technques is the use of prosthesis to regain swimming ability. In this work, analyses are focused on two dolphins with locomotive impairment; Winter (currently living in Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida) and Fuji (lived in Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan). Fuji lost about 75% of its fluke surface to necrosis (death of cells) and Winter lost its tail due to amputation. Both dolphins are aided by prosthetic tails that mimic the shape of a real dolphin tail. Using 3D surface reconstruction techniques and a high fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) flow solver, we were able to elucidate the kinematics and hydrodynamics and fluke deformation of these swimmers to clarify the effectiveness of prostheses in helping the dolphins regain their swimming ability. Associated with the performance, we identified distinct features in the wake structures that can explain this gap in the performance compared to a healthy dolphin. This work was supported by ONR MURI Grant Number N00014-14-1-0533.

Perceptually tuned low-bit-rate video codec for ATM networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, Chun-Hsien

1996-02-01

In order to maintain high visual quality in transmitting low bit-rate video signals over asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks, a layered coding scheme that incorporates the human visual system (HVS), motion compensation (MC), and conditional replenishment (CR) is presented in this paper. An empirical perceptual model is proposed to estimate the spatio- temporal just-noticeable distortion (STJND) profile for each frame, by which perceptually important (PI) prediction-error signals can be located. Because of the limited channel capacity of the base layer, only coded data of motion vectors, the PI signals within a small strip of the prediction-error image and, if there are remaining bits, the PI signals outside the strip are transmitted by the cells of the base-layer channel. The rest of the coded data are transmitted by the second-layer cells which may be lost due to channel error or network congestion. Simulation results show that visual quality of the reconstructed CIF sequence is acceptable when the capacity of the base-layer channel is allocated with 2 multiplied by 64 kbps and the cells of the second layer are all lost.

The Importance of Digital Methods in Preservation of Cultural Heritage the Example of Zirnikli Mansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kan, T.; Buyuksalih, G.; Kaya, Y.; Baskaraca, A. P.

2017-05-01

Documentation in maintaining cultural properties is a highly important stage of work for determination of the unique properties. The researches having been carried out over years to increase the accuracy of documentation enabled it to reach such a point that the properties can be scanned by 3D laser scanners today. In order for the lost parts of the civil architecture examples required to be preserved in the context of cultural texture to be found and reconstructed, precise measurement have gained importance in documentation of the current status. Over years, major losses have arisen in the cultural texture situated around Erzurum Castle where the unique architectural examples are placed together. In this study, the importance of the 3D documentation in preserving the cultural properties is discussed in the context of Zırnıklı Vehbi Bey Mansion situated near to the Castle. The CAD drawings of this structure which has significantly lost its spatial integrity has been generated from the 3D laser point clouds, then the restitution and the restoration projects of the monument have been prepared accordingly.

Multiple Convergent Origins of Workerlessness and Inbreeding in the Socially Parasitic Ant Genus Myrmoxenus.

PubMed

Heinze, Jürgen; Buschinger, Alfred; Poettinger, Theo; Suefuji, Masaki

2015-01-01

The socially parasitic ant genus Myrmoxenus varies strongly in fundamental life history traits, such as queen-worker ratio, the timing of sexual production, and mating behavior. Myrmoxenus queens generally take over nests of Temnothorax ants, kill the resident queen by throttling, and force the workers to take care of the social parasite's brood. Young queens of M. ravouxi and other species produce large numbers of workers, which during "slave-raids" pillage host pupae from neighboring Temnothorax colonies to increase the workforce in their own nests. Other species, such as M. corsicus, have lost caste polyphenism and rear only male and female sexual offspring. Using sequences of the genes CO I/CO II and wingless we reconstruct the phylogeny of Myrmoxenus and document that the worker caste was lost convergently at least three times. Furthermore, mating in the nest and inbreeding obviously also evolved in parallel from ancestors whose sexuals presumably mated during nuptial flights. Myrmoxenus might thus provide a suitable model to investigate caste differentiation and the plasticity of mating behavior in Hymenoptera.

Selective loss of polymorphic mating types is associated with rapid phenotypic evolution during morphic speciation.

PubMed

Corl, Ammon; Davis, Alison R; Kuchta, Shawn R; Sinervo, Barry

2010-03-02

Polymorphism may play an important role in speciation because new species could originate from the distinctive morphs observed in polymorphic populations. However, much remains to be understood about the process by which morphs found new species. To detail the steps of this mode of speciation, we studied the geographic variation and evolutionary history of a throat color polymorphism that distinguishes the "rock-paper-scissors" mating strategies of the side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana. We found that the polymorphism is geographically widespread and has been maintained for millions of years. However, there are many populations with reduced numbers of throat color morphs. Phylogenetic reconstruction showed that the polymorphism is ancestral, but it has been independently lost eight times, often giving rise to morphologically distinct subspecies/species. Changes to the polymorphism likely involved selection because the allele for one particular male strategy, the "sneaker" morph, has been lost in all cases. Polymorphism loss was associated with accelerated evolution of male size, female size, and sexual dimorphism, which suggests that polymorphism loss can promote rapid divergence among populations and aid species formation.

Probabilistic Feasibility of the Reconstruction Process of Russian-Orthodox Churches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chizhova, M.; Brunn, A.; Stilla, U.

2016-06-01

The cultural human heritage is important for the identity of following generations and has to be preserved in a suitable manner. In the course of time a lot of information about former cultural constructions has been lost because some objects were strongly damaged by natural erosion or on account of human work or were even destroyed. It is important to capture still available building parts of former buildings, mostly ruins. This data could be the basis for a virtual reconstruction. Laserscanning offers in principle the possibility to take up extensively surfaces of buildings in its actual status. In this paper we assume a priori given 3d-laserscanner data, 3d point cloud for the partly destroyed church. There are many well known algorithms, that describe different methods of extraction and detection of geometric primitives, which are recognized separately in 3d points clouds. In our work we put them in a common probabilistic framework, which guides the complete reconstruction process of complex buildings, in our case russian-orthodox churches. Churches are modeled with their functional volumetric components, enriched with a priori known probabilities, which are deduced from a database of russian-orthodox churches. Each set of components represents a complete church. The power of the new method is shown for a simulated dataset of 100 russian-orthodox churches.

Motions of Australia and surroundings since 43 Ma as recorded by subducted mantle lithosphere--evidence for a lost ocean between the Pacific and Indian Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renqi, L.; Wu, J. E.; Suppe, J.; Kanda, R. V.

2013-12-01

It is well known from seafloor spreading and hotspot data that the Australian plate has moved ~2500km northward in a mantle reference frame since 43Ma, during which time the Pacific plate moved approximately orthogonally ~3000km in a WNW direction. In addition the Australian plate has expanded up to 2000 km as a result of back arc spreading associated with evolving subduction systems on its northern and eastern margins. Here we attempt to account for this plate motion and subduction using new quantitative constraints of mapped slabs of subducted mantle lithosphere underlying the Australian plate and its surroundings. We have mapped a large swath of sub-horizontal slabs in the lower mantle under onshore and offshore NE Australia using global mantle seismic tomography. When restored together with other mapped slabs from the Asia Pacific region, these slabs reveal the existence of a major ocean between NE Australia, E. Asian, and the Pacific at 43 Ma, which we call the East Asian Sea. The southern half of this East Asian Sea was overrun and completely subducted by northward-moving Australia and the expanding Melanesian arcs, and the WNW-converging Pacific. This lost ocean fills a major gap in plate tectonic reconstructions and also constraints the possible motion of the Caroline Sea and New Guinea arcs. Slabs were mapped from MITP08 global P-wave seismic tomography data (Li and Hilst, 2008) and the TX2011 S-wave seismic tomography data (Grand and Simmons, 2011) using Gocad software. The mapped slabs were unfolded to the spherical Earth surface to assess their pre-subduction geometry. Gplates software was used to constrain plate tectonic reconstructions within a fully animated, globally consistent framework.

Integration of Component Knowledge in Penalized-Likelihood Reconstruction with Morphological and Spectral Uncertainties.

PubMed

Stayman, J Webster; Tilley, Steven; Siewerdsen, Jeffrey H

2014-01-01

Previous investigations [1-3] have demonstrated that integrating specific knowledge of the structure and composition of components like surgical implants, devices, and tools into a model-based reconstruction framework can improve image quality and allow for potential exposure reductions in CT. Using device knowledge in practice is complicated by uncertainties in the exact shape of components and their particular material composition. Such unknowns in the morphology and attenuation properties lead to errors in the forward model that limit the utility of component integration. In this work, a methodology is presented to accommodate both uncertainties in shape as well as unknown energy-dependent attenuation properties of the surgical devices. This work leverages the so-called known-component reconstruction (KCR) framework [1] with a generalized deformable registration operator and modifications to accommodate a spectral transfer function in the component model. Moreover, since this framework decomposes the object into separate background anatomy and "known" component factors, a mixed fidelity forward model can be adopted so that measurements associated with projections through the surgical devices can be modeled with much greater accuracy. A deformable KCR (dKCR) approach using the mixed fidelity model is introduced and applied to a flexible wire component with unknown structure and composition. Image quality advantages of dKCR over traditional reconstruction methods are illustrated in cone-beam CT (CBCT) data acquired on a testbench emulating a 3D-guided needle biopsy procedure - i.e., a deformable component (needle) with strong energy-dependent attenuation characteristics (steel) within a complex soft-tissue background.

Assessment of phase based dose modulation for improved dose efficiency in cardiac CT on an anthropomorphic motion phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budde, Adam; Nilsen, Roy; Nett, Brian

2014-03-01

State of the art automatic exposure control modulates the tube current across view angle and Z based on patient anatomy for use in axial full scan reconstructions. Cardiac CT, however, uses a fundamentally different image reconstruction that applies a temporal weighting to reduce motion artifacts. This paper describes a phase based mA modulation that goes beyond axial and ECG modulation; it uses knowledge of the temporal view weighting applied within the reconstruction algorithm to improve dose efficiency in cardiac CT scanning. Using physical phantoms and synthetic noise emulation, we measure how knowledge of sinogram temporal weighting and the prescribed cardiac phase can be used to improve dose efficiency. First, we validated that a synthetic CT noise emulation method produced realistic image noise. Next, we used the CT noise emulation method to simulate mA modulation on scans of a physical anthropomorphic phantom where a motion profile corresponding to a heart rate of 60 beats per minute was used. The CT noise emulation method matched noise to lower dose scans across the image within 1.5% relative error. Using this noise emulation method to simulate modulating the mA while keeping the total dose constant, the image variance was reduced by an average of 11.9% on a scan with 50 msec padding, demonstrating improved dose efficiency. Radiation dose reduction in cardiac CT can be achieved while maintaining the same level of image noise through phase based dose modulation that incorporates knowledge of the cardiac reconstruction algorithm.

Comparison of 3D Reconstructive Technologies Used for Morphometric Research and the Translation of Knowledge Using a Decision Matrix

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Charys M.; Roach, Victoria A.; Nguyen, Ngan; Rice, Charles L.; Wilson, Timothy D.

2013-01-01

The use of three-dimensional (3D) models for education, pre-operative assessment, presurgical planning, and measurement have become more prevalent. With the increase in prevalence of 3D models there has also been an increase in 3D reconstructive software programs that are used to create these models. These software programs differ in…

The Impact of Secondary School Students' Preconceptions on the Evolution of their Mental Models of the Greenhouse effect and Global Warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinfried, Sibylle; Tempelmann, Sebastian

2014-01-01

This paper provides a video-based learning process study that investigates the kinds of mental models of the atmospheric greenhouse effect 13-year-old learners have and how these mental models change with a learning environment, which is optimised in regard to instructional psychology. The objective of this explorative study was to observe and analyse the learners' learning pathways according to their previous knowledge in detail and to understand the mental model formation processes associated with them more precisely. For the analysis of the learning pathways, drawings, texts, video and interview transcripts from 12 students were studied using qualitative methods. The learning pathways pursued by the learners significantly depend on their domain-specific previous knowledge. The learners' preconceptions could be typified based on specific characteristics, whereby three preconception types could be formed. The 'isolated pieces of knowledge' type of learners, who have very little or no previous knowledge about the greenhouse effect, build new mental models that are close to the target model. 'Reduced heat output' type of learners, who have previous knowledge that indicates compliances with central ideas of the normative model, reconstruct their knowledge by reorganising and interpreting their existing knowledge structures. 'Increasing heat input' type of learners, whose previous knowledge consists of subjective worldly knowledge, which has a greater personal explanatory value than the information from the learning environment, have more difficulties changing their mental models. They have to fundamentally reconstruct their mental models.

Advancing educational diversity: antifragility, standardization, democracy, and a multitude of education options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortunato, Michael W. P.

2017-03-01

This essay is a response to a paper by Avery and Hains that raises questions about the often unintended effects of knowledge standardization in an educational setting. While many K-12 schools are implementing common core standards, and many institutions of higher education are implementing their own standardized educational practices, the question is raised about what is lost in this effort to ensure regularity and consistency in educational outcomes. One such casualty may be local knowledge, which in a rural context includes ancestral knowledge about land, society, and cultural meaning. This essay explores whether or not efforts to standardize crowd out such knowledge, and decrease the diversity of knowledge within our society's complex ecosystem—thus making the ecosystem weaker. Using antifragility as a useful idea for examining system complexity, the essay considers the impact of standardization on innovation, democracy, and the valuation of some forms of knowledge (and its bearers) above others.

Liposomal Bupivacaine for Pain Control After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective, Double-Blinded, Randomized, Positive-Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Premkumar, Ajay; Samady, Heather; Slone, Harris; Hash, Regina; Karas, Spero; Xerogeanes, John

2016-07-01

Local anesthetics are commonly administered into surgical sites as a part of multimodal pain control regimens. Liposomal bupivacaine is a novel formulation of bupivacaine designed for slow diffusion of a single dose of local anesthetic over a 72-hour period. While early results are promising in various settings, no studies have compared pain management regimens containing liposomal bupivacaine to traditional regimens in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. To evaluate liposomal bupivacaine in comparison with 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride (HCl) for pain control after ACL reconstruction. Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. A total of 32 adult patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction with a soft tissue quadriceps tendon autograft between July 2014 and March 2015 were enrolled. All patients received a femoral nerve block immediately before surgery. Patients then received either a 40-mL suspension of 20 mL Exparel (1 vial of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) and 20 mL 0.9% injectable saline or 20 mL 0.5% bupivacaine HCl and 20 mL 0.9% injectable saline, which was administered into the graft harvest site and portal sites during surgery. Patients were given either a postoperative smartphone application or paper-based journal to record data for 1 week after ACL reconstruction. Of the 32 patients recruited, 29 patients were analyzed (90.6%). Two patients were lost to follow-up, and 1 was excluded because of a postoperative hematoma. There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative pain, medication use, pain location, recovery room time, or mobility between the 2 study groups. There were comparable outcomes with 0.25% bupivacaine HCl at a 200-fold lower cost than liposomal bupivacaine. This study does not support the widespread use of liposomal bupivacaine for pain control after ACL reconstruction in the setting of a femoral nerve block. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02189317. © 2016 The Author(s).

Reconstruction of the maxilla following hemimaxillectomy defects with scapular tip grafts and dental implants.

PubMed

Mertens, Christian; Freudlsperger, Christian; Bodem, Jens; Engel, Michael; Hoffmann, Jürgen; Freier, Kolja

2016-11-01

Treatment of post-resective defects of the maxilla can be challenging and usually requires dental obturation or microvascular reconstruction. As compared to soft-tissue microvascular grafts, bone reconstruction can additionally allow for facial support and retention of dental implants. The aim of this study was to evaluate scapular tip grafts with respect to their applicability for maxillary reconstruction and their potential to retain dental implants for later dental rehabilitation. In this retrospective study, 14 patients with hemimaxillectomy defects were reconstructed with free scapular tip grafts, oriented horizontally, to rebuild the palate and alveolar ridge. After bone healing, three-dimensional virtual implant planning was performed, and a radiographic guide was fabricated to enable implant placement in the optimal anatomic and prosthetic position. All patients' mastication and speech were evaluated, along with the extent of defect closure, suitability of the graft sites for implant placement, and soft-tissue stability. Pre- and postsurgical radiographs were also evaluated. A good postoperative outcome was achieved in all patients, with complete closure of maxillary defects that were class II, according to the system of Brown and Shaw. Additional bone augmentation was necessary in two patients in order to increase vertical bone height. Patients were subsequently treated with 50 dental implants to retain dental prostheses. In all cases, additional soft-tissue surgery was necessary to achieve a long-term stable periimplant situation. No implants were lost during the mean observation period of 34 months. Due to its specific form, the scapular tip graft is well suited to reconstruct the palate and maxillary alveolar ridge and to enable subsequent implant-retained rehabilitation. Due to the limited bone volume, an accurate three-dimensional graft orientation is essential. Furthermore, most cases require additional soft-tissue surgery to achieve a long-term stable periimplant situation. Copyright © 2016 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization-Based Image Reconstruction with Artifact Reduction in C-Arm CBCT

PubMed Central

Xia, Dan; Langan, David A.; Solomon, Stephen B.; Zhang, Zheng; Chen, Buxin; Lai, Hao; Sidky, Emil Y.; Pan, Xiaochuan

2016-01-01

We investigate an optimization-based reconstruction, with an emphasis on image-artifact reduction, from data collected in C-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) employed in image-guided interventional procedures. In the study, an image to be reconstructed is formulated as a solution to a convex optimization program in which a weighted data divergence is minimized subject to a constraint on the image total variation (TV); a data-derivative fidelity is introduced in the program specifically for effectively suppressing dominant, low-frequency data artifact caused by, e.g., data truncation; and the Chambolle-Pock (CP) algorithm is tailored to reconstruct an image through solving the program. Like any other reconstructions, the optimization-based reconstruction considered depends upon numerous parameters. We elucidate the parameters, illustrate their determination, and demonstrate their impact on the reconstruction. The optimization-based reconstruction, when applied to data collected from swine and patient subjects, yields images with visibly reduced artifacts in contrast to the reference reconstruction, and it also appears to exhibit a high degree of robustness against distinctively different anatomies of imaged subjects and scanning conditions of clinical significance. Knowledge and insights gained in the study may be exploited for aiding in the design of practical reconstructions of truly clinical-application utility. PMID:27694700

Optimization-based image reconstruction with artifact reduction in C-arm CBCT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Dan; Langan, David A.; Solomon, Stephen B.; Zhang, Zheng; Chen, Buxin; Lai, Hao; Sidky, Emil Y.; Pan, Xiaochuan

2016-10-01

We investigate an optimization-based reconstruction, with an emphasis on image-artifact reduction, from data collected in C-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) employed in image-guided interventional procedures. In the study, an image to be reconstructed is formulated as a solution to a convex optimization program in which a weighted data divergence is minimized subject to a constraint on the image total variation (TV); a data-derivative fidelity is introduced in the program specifically for effectively suppressing dominant, low-frequency data artifact caused by, e.g. data truncation; and the Chambolle-Pock (CP) algorithm is tailored to reconstruct an image through solving the program. Like any other reconstructions, the optimization-based reconstruction considered depends upon numerous parameters. We elucidate the parameters, illustrate their determination, and demonstrate their impact on the reconstruction. The optimization-based reconstruction, when applied to data collected from swine and patient subjects, yields images with visibly reduced artifacts in contrast to the reference reconstruction, and it also appears to exhibit a high degree of robustness against distinctively different anatomies of imaged subjects and scanning conditions of clinical significance. Knowledge and insights gained in the study may be exploited for aiding in the design of practical reconstructions of truly clinical-application utility.

Advances in the management of orbital fractures.

PubMed

Nguyen, P N; Sullivan, P

1992-01-01

Great progress has been made in both the basic science and the clinical knowledge base used in orbital reconstruction. With this, increasing complex orbital reconstructive problems are better managed. The diagnosis, treatment plan, and the actual reconstruction have evolved to a higher level. Several areas of progress are of note: the greater appreciation of the intimate relation between the bony orbit's shape and the position of the globe; application of computer technology in orbital injuries; effect of rigid fixation on autogenous and alloplastic graft; and the use of advanced biocompatible synthetic materials in orbital reconstruction. Although this progress has great impact on treatment of orbital injuries, there are many unanswered challenges in the treatment of the fragile frame of the window to the human soul.

Hydrological drought in southeast Australia over the last five centuries: new insights from a multi-archive palaeoclimate streamflow reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henley, B.; Peel, M. C.; Nathan, R.; Karoly, D. J.

2017-12-01

South-eastern Australia experienced one of the most intense and prolonged droughts in the observed record over the period 1997-2009, widely termed the Millennium drought. Water managers are faced with major challenges in understanding this drought and preparing for future variability and change. In this study, we use a newly collated network of annual resolution palaeoclimate data, a novel reconstruction methodology and rigorous treatment of uncertainties to reconstruct water supply system inflows in a critical water supply catchment in southern Australia. Our new reconstruction allows us to investigate the intensity, frequency and duration of severe hydrological drought several centuries into the past, and to integrate knowledge from instrumental and palaeoclimate data.

Porcine dermis implants in soft-tissue reconstruction: current status

PubMed Central

Smart, Neil J; Bryan, Nicholas; Hunt, John A; Daniels, Ian R

2014-01-01

Soft-tissue reconstruction for a variety of surgical conditions, such as abdominal wall hernia or pelvic organ prolapse, remains a challenge. There are numerous meshes available that may be simply categorized as either synthetic or biologic. Within biologic meshes, porcine dermal meshes have come to dominate the market. This review examines the current evidence for their use and the limitations of knowledge. Although there is increasing evidence to support their safety, long-term follow-up studies that support their efficacy are lacking. Numerous clinical trials that remain ongoing may help elucidate their precise role in soft-tissue reconstruction. PMID:24648721

Didactical Reconstruction of Processes in Knowledge Construction: Pre-Service Physics Teachers Learning the Law of Electromagnetic Induction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mantyla, Terhi

2012-01-01

In physics teacher education, two central goals are first to learn the structures of physics knowledge, and second the processes of its construction. To know the structure is to know the framework of concepts and laws; to know the processes is to know where the knowledge comes from, how the framework is constructed, and how it can be justified.…

Right ventricular volumes assessed by echocardiographic three-dimensional knowledge-based reconstruction compared with magnetic resonance imaging in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Neukamm, Christian; Try, Kirsti; Norgård, Gunnar; Brun, Henrik

2014-01-01

A technique that uses two-dimensional images to create a knowledge-based, three-dimensional model was tested and compared to magnetic resonance imaging. Measurement of right ventricular volumes and function is important in the follow-up of patients after pulmonary valve replacement. Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard for volumetric assessment. Echocardiographic methods have been validated and are attractive alternatives. Thirty patients with tetralogy of Fallot (25 ± 14 years) after pulmonary valve replacement were examined. Magnetic resonance imaging volumetric measurements and echocardiography-based three-dimensional reconstruction were performed. End-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction were measured, and the results were compared. Magnetic resonance imaging measurements gave coefficient of variation in the intraobserver study of 3.5, 4.6, and 5.3 and in the interobserver study of 3.6, 5.9, and 6.7 for end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction, respectively. Echocardiographic three-dimensional reconstruction was highly feasible (97%). In the intraobserver study, the corresponding values were 6.0, 7.0, and 8.9 and in the interobserver study 7.4, 10.8, and 13.4. In comparison of the methods, correlations with magnetic resonance imaging were r = 0.91, 0.91, and 0.38, and the corresponding coefficient of variations were 9.4, 10.8, and 14.7. Echocardiography derived volumes (mL/m(2)) were significantly higher than magnetic resonance imaging volumes in end-diastolic volume 13.7 ± 25.6 and in end-systolic volume 9.1 ± 17.0 (both P < .05). The knowledge-based three-dimensional right ventricular volume method was highly feasible. Intra and interobserver variabilities were satisfactory. Agreement with magnetic resonance imaging measurements for volumes was reasonable but unsatisfactory for ejection fraction. Knowledge-based reconstruction may replace magnetic resonance imaging measurements for serial follow-up, whereas magnetic resonance imaging should be used for surgical decision making.

What Is Summer Vacation Costing Us?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henkel, Tara

2010-01-01

This paper explores the standard traditional summer vacation model; this includes the accompanying food insecurity, loss of nutrition and the lost knowledge that must be re-taught at the beginning of each new academic year. It compares the number of academic days attended in various Industrialized Nations compared to the United States. Also,…

Parenting in a Technological Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smedts, Geertrui

2008-01-01

Technology is not just a tool but an amalgam of conceptual, institutional, and interactional issues that occupy the space of technical reason. In this space, parents' identity is becoming narrowed according to a limited conception in which the place of "caring" is in danger of being lost. Parents are increasingly required to adopt knowledge on…

Summer Reading Lists: Research and Recommendations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindley, Sarah; Giles, Rebecca M.; Tunks, Karyn

2016-01-01

Decades of research have focused on the impact of summer learning loss and effective tools in stemming the flow of knowledge lost during summer break. While reading lists have become a standard practice for addressing students' needs to maintain learning levels over the summer months, very little research has been conducted on the book lists…

Classroom Incivilities: Students' Perceptions about Professors' Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stork, Elizabeth; Hartley, Nell Tabor

2009-01-01

A learning environment is a social one, and as a social environment it impacts what learners retain, how they form ideas, and what connections are made and lost when acquiring new skills and knowledge (Goleman, 2006). Today's college students' expectations for and perceptions of professors in the classroom are likely to influence their learning…

Compensation in Higher Education. ERIC/Higher Education Research Currents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trivett, David A.

Compensation in higher education is an inclusive term, since all the benefits associated with teaching, research, work with people, and work with knowledge might be included. But in terms of purchasing power it appears that compensation for work in higher education has lost ground against inflation. In contrast, wage and salary earners in many…

Lost in Translation: Western Representations of Maori Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mika, Carl; Stewart, Georgina

2017-01-01

We recently attended a conference at which a non-Maori presenter, drawing on a particular metaphor already established by Maori writers, related Maori natural world features to a research method. The presentation was useful because it highlighted several issues that call for our concern as Maori philosophers. In this article, we outline these…

Developing an ontological explosion knowledge base for business continuity planning purposes.

PubMed

Mohammadfam, Iraj; Kalatpour, Omid; Golmohammadi, Rostam; Khotanlou, Hasan

2013-01-01

Industrial accidents are among the most known challenges to business continuity. Many organisations have lost their reputation following devastating accidents. To manage the risks of such accidents, it is necessary to accumulate sufficient knowledge regarding their roots, causes and preventive techniques. The required knowledge might be obtained through various approaches, including databases. Unfortunately, many databases are hampered by (among other things) static data presentations, a lack of semantic features, and the inability to present accident knowledge as discrete domains. This paper proposes the use of Protégé software to develop a knowledge base for the domain of explosion accidents. Such a structure has a higher capability to improve information retrieval compared with common accident databases. To accomplish this goal, a knowledge management process model was followed. The ontological explosion knowledge base (EKB) was built for further applications, including process accident knowledge retrieval and risk management. The paper will show how the EKB has a semantic feature that enables users to overcome some of the search constraints of existing accident databases.

Reconstructive Surgery of Auricular Defects: An Overview.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Ali; Kazemi, Alireza; Rasouli, Hamid Reza; Kazemi, Maryam; Kalantar Motamedi, Mohammad Hosein

2015-11-01

Despite the ongoing advances in surgical procedures and promising progress in bioengineering techniques, auricular reconstruction remains a significant challenge in plastic surgery. There are different causes for acquired auricular defects, including trauma, tumor ablation and burns. The management options for upper, middle and lower third auricular defects are briefly reviewed in the current paper. Original research papers investigating the plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists and maxillofacial surgeons in approaching the complicated issue of auricular reconstruction published from January 1995 to December 2014 were aggregated and used in the current study. Utilizing autologous stem cell populations to treat craniofacial defects is a promising field of ongoing investigations. Studies show that cartilage stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs) are highly chondrogenic and can produce elastic reconstructive material with long-term tissue restoration. Auricular reconstruction surgery is a challenging plastic procedure that requires great expertise and expert knowledge of the various techniques available. Novel techniques in the fields of reconstructive bioengineering and regenerative medicine are promising but further research is required before widespread clinical application.

Reconstruction From Multiple Particles for 3D Isotropic Resolution in Fluorescence Microscopy.

PubMed

Fortun, Denis; Guichard, Paul; Hamel, Virginie; Sorzano, Carlos Oscar S; Banterle, Niccolo; Gonczy, Pierre; Unser, Michael

2018-05-01

The imaging of proteins within macromolecular complexes has been limited by the low axial resolution of optical microscopes. To overcome this problem, we propose a novel computational reconstruction method that yields isotropic resolution in fluorescence imaging. The guiding principle is to reconstruct a single volume from the observations of multiple rotated particles. Our new operational framework detects particles, estimates their orientation, and reconstructs the final volume. The main challenge comes from the absence of initial template and a priori knowledge about the orientations. We formulate the estimation as a blind inverse problem, and propose a block-coordinate stochastic approach to solve the associated non-convex optimization problem. The reconstruction is performed jointly in multiple channels. We demonstrate that our method is able to reconstruct volumes with 3D isotropic resolution on simulated data. We also perform isotropic reconstructions from real experimental data of doubly labeled purified human centrioles. Our approach revealed the precise localization of the centriolar protein Cep63 around the centriole microtubule barrel. Overall, our method offers new perspectives for applications in biology that require the isotropic mapping of proteins within macromolecular assemblies.

Effect of a One-Off Educational Session about Enterobiasis on Knowledge, Preventative Practices, and Infection Rates among Schoolchildren in South Korea

PubMed Central

Kim, Dong-Hee; Yu, Hak Sun

2014-01-01

Although health education has proven to be cost-effective in slowing the spread of enterobiasis, assessments of the effectiveness of health education to reduce infectious diseases specifically in children are rare. To evaluate the effect of health education on knowledge, preventative practices, and the prevalence of enterobiasis, 319 children from 16 classes were divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected from May 2012 to March 2013. A 40-minute in-class talk was given once in the experimental group. There were significant differences over the time in the mean scores for children's knowledge of Enterobius vermicularis infection in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001). After the educational session, the score for knowledge about E. vermicularis infection increased from 60.2±2.32 to 92.7±1.19 in the experimental group; this gain was partially lost 3 months later, decreasing to 83.6±1.77 (p<0.001). Children's enterobiasis infection prevention practice scores also increased, from 3.23±0.27 to 3.73±0.25, 1 week after the educational session, a gain that was partially lost at 3 months, decreasing to 3.46±0.36 (p<0.001). The overall E. vermicularis egg detection rate was 4.4%; the rates for each school ranged from 0% to 12.9% at screening. The infection rate at 3 months after the treatment sharply decreased from 12.3% to 0.8% in the experimental group, compared to a decrease from 8.5% to 3.7% in the control group during the same period. We recommend that health education on enterobiasis be provided to children to increase their knowledge about enterobiasis and improve prevention practices. PMID:25372146

Effect of a one-off educational session about enterobiasis on knowledge, preventative practices, and infection rates among schoolchildren in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Dong-Hee; Yu, Hak Sun

2014-01-01

Although health education has proven to be cost-effective in slowing the spread of enterobiasis, assessments of the effectiveness of health education to reduce infectious diseases specifically in children are rare. To evaluate the effect of health education on knowledge, preventative practices, and the prevalence of enterobiasis, 319 children from 16 classes were divided into experimental and control groups. Data were collected from May 2012 to March 2013. A 40-minute in-class talk was given once in the experimental group. There were significant differences over the time in the mean scores for children's knowledge of Enterobius vermicularis infection in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001). After the educational session, the score for knowledge about E. vermicularis infection increased from 60.2 ± 2.32 to 92.7 ± 1.19 in the experimental group; this gain was partially lost 3 months later, decreasing to 83.6 ± 1.77 (p<0.001). Children's enterobiasis infection prevention practice scores also increased, from 3.23 ± 0.27 to 3.73 ± 0.25, 1 week after the educational session, a gain that was partially lost at 3 months, decreasing to 3.46 ± 0.36 (p<0.001). The overall E. vermicularis egg detection rate was 4.4%; the rates for each school ranged from 0% to 12.9% at screening. The infection rate at 3 months after the treatment sharply decreased from 12.3% to 0.8% in the experimental group, compared to a decrease from 8.5% to 3.7% in the control group during the same period. We recommend that health education on enterobiasis be provided to children to increase their knowledge about enterobiasis and improve prevention practices.

Predators of Knowledge Construction: Interpreting Students' Metacognition in an Amusement Park Physics Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, David; Nashon, Samson

2007-01-01

It is recognized widely that learning is a dynamic and idiosyncratic process of construction and reconstruction of concepts in response to new experiences. It is influenced by the learner's prior knowledge, motivation, and sociocultural context. This study investigated how year 11 and 12 physics students' metacognition influences the development…

Linking Factual and Procedural Knowledge in Solving Science Problems: A Case Study in a Thermodynamics Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mettes, C. T. C. W.; And Others

1981-01-01

Describes the reconstruction of a conventional thermodynamics curriculum using the Galperin theory of stage-by-stage formation of mental actions and Landa's description of the "through" systematization of knowledge, and discusses the generalizability of the procedures followed in developing the plan for instruction. A 33-item…

Keystone Characteristics That Support Cultural Resilience in Karen Refugee Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Susan G.

2016-01-01

This participatory action research study used the conceptual framework of social--ecological resilience to explore how Karen (pronounced Ka·rén) refugee parents re-construct cultural resilience in resettlement. The funds of knowledge approach helped to define essential knowledge used by Karen parents within their own community. Framing this study…

Consolidating Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Subject Matter Knowledge Using Didactical Reconstructions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mäntylä, T.; Nousiainen, M.

2014-01-01

In the Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, there are advanced physics courses designed for the needs of pre-service physics teachers. The starting point is that after introductory and intermediate physics courses, pre-service physics teachers know laws and definitions but the knowledge is quite fragmented and does not form coherent…

The Significance of Practical Training in Linking Theoretical Studies with Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katajavuori, Nina; Lindblom-Ylanne, Sari; Hirvonen, Jouni

2006-01-01

Today's experts must continuously reconstruct their expertise and be able to apply their theoretical knowledge in actual work. The development of expertise is a long process, during which theoretical, practical and metacognitive elements of expert knowledge are integrated into a coherent whole. It is important to foster student's learning and…

Revisiting and Rewriting Early Career Encounters: Reconstructing One "Identity Defining" Moment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoo, Joanne

2011-01-01

There has been much research conducted into the effects of early career experiences on future practice. The research indicates that early career academics are particularly susceptible to burnout, as they are still developing their professional knowledge base, and are therefore more reliant on their theoretical knowledge or idealism to interpret…

Task Types and Discursive Features: Mediating Role of Meta-Talk in Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamadi, Zohre; Rahimpour, Massoud

2018-01-01

Exploring opportunities by which learners can internalize new knowledge and consolidate existing knowledge has long been a point of interest in English as a foreign language research. This study investigated how meta-talk opportunities on discourse markers created by four task types including text reconstruction, dictogloss, translation and jigsaw…

Increasing reconstruction quality of diffractive optical elements displayed with LC SLM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheremkhin, Pavel A.; Evtikhiev, Nikolay N.; Krasnov, Vitaly V.; Rodin, Vladislav G.; Starikov, Sergey N.

2015-03-01

Phase liquid crystal (LC) spatial light modulators (SLM) are actively used in various applications. However, majority of scientific applications require stable phase modulation which might be hard to achieve with commercially available SLM due to its consumer origin. The use of digital voltage addressing scheme leads to phase temporal fluctuations, which results in lower diffraction efficiency and reconstruction quality of displayed diffractive optical elements (DOE). Due to high periodicity of fluctuations it should be possible to use knowledge of these fluctuations during DOE synthesis to minimize negative effect. We synthesized DOE using accurately measured phase fluctuations of phase LC SLM "HoloEye PLUTO VIS" to minimize its negative impact on displayed DOE reconstruction. Synthesis was conducted with versatile direct search with random trajectory (DSRT) method in the following way. Before DOE synthesis begun, two-dimensional dependency of SLM phase shift on addressed signal level and time from frame start was obtained. Then synthesis begins. First, initial phase distribution is created. Second, random trajectory of consecutive processing of all DOE elements is generated. Then iterative process begins. Each DOE element sequentially has its value changed to one that provides better value of objective criterion, e.g. lower deviation of reconstructed image from original one. If current element value provides best objective criterion value then it left unchanged. After all elements are processed, iteration repeats until stagnation is reached. It is demonstrated that application of SLM phase fluctuations knowledge in DOE synthesis with DSRT method leads to noticeable increase of DOE reconstruction quality.

Sensor data validation and reconstruction. Phase 1: System architecture study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The sensor validation and data reconstruction task reviewed relevant literature and selected applicable validation and reconstruction techniques for further study; analyzed the selected techniques and emphasized those which could be used for both validation and reconstruction; analyzed Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) hot fire test data to determine statistical and physical relationships between various parameters; developed statistical and empirical correlations between parameters to perform validation and reconstruction tasks, using a computer aided engineering (CAE) package; and conceptually designed an expert system based knowledge fusion tool, which allows the user to relate diverse types of information when validating sensor data. The host hardware for the system is intended to be a Sun SPARCstation, but could be any RISC workstation with a UNIX operating system and a windowing/graphics system such as Motif or Dataviews. The information fusion tool is intended to be developed using the NEXPERT Object expert system shell, and the C programming language.

Markov prior-based block-matching algorithm for superdimension reconstruction of porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yang; He, Xiaohai; Teng, Qizhi; Feng, Junxi; Wu, Xiaohong

2018-04-01

A superdimension reconstruction algorithm is used for the reconstruction of three-dimensional (3D) structures of a porous medium based on a single two-dimensional image. The algorithm borrows the concepts of "blocks," "learning," and "dictionary" from learning-based superresolution reconstruction and applies them to the 3D reconstruction of a porous medium. In the neighborhood-matching process of the conventional superdimension reconstruction algorithm, the Euclidean distance is used as a criterion, although it may not really reflect the structural correlation between adjacent blocks in an actual situation. Hence, in this study, regular items are adopted as prior knowledge in the reconstruction process, and a Markov prior-based block-matching algorithm for superdimension reconstruction is developed for more accurate reconstruction. The algorithm simultaneously takes into consideration the probabilistic relationship between the already reconstructed blocks in three different perpendicular directions (x , y , and z ) and the block to be reconstructed, and the maximum value of the probability product of the blocks to be reconstructed (as found in the dictionary for the three directions) is adopted as the basis for the final block selection. Using this approach, the problem of an imprecise spatial structure caused by a point simulation can be overcome. The problem of artifacts in the reconstructed structure is also addressed through the addition of hard data and by neighborhood matching. To verify the improved reconstruction accuracy of the proposed method, the statistical and morphological features of the results from the proposed method and traditional superdimension reconstruction method are compared with those of the target system. The proposed superdimension reconstruction algorithm is confirmed to enable a more accurate reconstruction of the target system while also eliminating artifacts.

Post-mortem re-cloning of a transgenic red fluorescent protein dog.

PubMed

Hong, So Gun; Koo, Ok Jae; Oh, Hyun Ju; Park, Jung Eun; Kim, Minjung; Kim, Geon-A; Park, Eun Jung; Jang, Goo; Lee, Byeong-Chun

2011-12-01

Recently, the world's first transgenic dogs were produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, cellular senescence is a major limiting factor for producing more advanced transgenic dogs. To overcome this obstacle, we rejuvenated transgenic cells using a re-cloning technique. Fibroblasts from post-mortem red fluorescent protein (RFP) dog were reconstructed with in vivo matured oocytes and transferred into 10 surrogate dogs. One puppy was produced and confirmed as a re-cloned dog. Although the puppy was lost during birth, we successfully established a rejuvenated fibroblast cell line from this animal. The cell line was found to stably express RFP and is ready for additional genetic modification.

Propagation of singularities for linearised hybrid data impedance tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bal, Guillaume; Hoffmann, Kristoffer; Knudsen, Kim

2018-02-01

For a general formulation of linearised hybrid inverse problems in impedance tomography, the qualitative properties of the solutions are analysed. Using an appropriate scalar pseudo-differential formulation, the problems are shown to permit propagating singularities under certain non-elliptic conditions, and the associated directions of propagation are precisely identified relative to the directions in which ellipticity is lost. The same result is found in the setting for the corresponding normal formulation of the scalar pseudo-differential equations. A numerical reconstruction procedure based of the least squares finite element method is derived, and a series of numerical experiments visualise exactly how the loss of ellipticity manifests itself as propagating singularities.

When a child dies the world should stop spinning: an autoethnography exploring the impact of family loss on occupation.

PubMed

Hoppes, Steve

2005-01-01

The death of a loved one disrupts family-members' occupational lives. This paper explores the role and course of occupation during a time when my nephew died. A qualitative research methodology, autoethnography, is used to develop the narrative. I found that familiar occupations lost meaning during this time and even seemed absurd. Paradoxically, occupation helped forge a vital pathway back to health and reconstruction of meaning. Four stages of occupation during a family crisis are proposed: maintenance, dissolution, ambivalence, and restoration and adaptation. Reflections on occupational therapists' role during family crises are discussed, as are implications for further research.

CoryneRegNet: An ontology-based data warehouse of corynebacterial transcription factors and regulatory networks

PubMed Central

Baumbach, Jan; Brinkrolf, Karina; Czaja, Lisa F; Rahmann, Sven; Tauch, Andreas

2006-01-01

Background The application of DNA microarray technology in post-genomic analysis of bacterial genome sequences has allowed the generation of huge amounts of data related to regulatory networks. This data along with literature-derived knowledge on regulation of gene expression has opened the way for genome-wide reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks. These large-scale reconstructions can be converted into in silico models of bacterial cells that allow a systematic analysis of network behavior in response to changing environmental conditions. Description CoryneRegNet was designed to facilitate the genome-wide reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks of corynebacteria relevant in biotechnology and human medicine. During the import and integration process of data derived from experimental studies or literature knowledge CoryneRegNet generates links to genome annotations, to identified transcription factors and to the corresponding cis-regulatory elements. CoryneRegNet is based on a multi-layered, hierarchical and modular concept of transcriptional regulation and was implemented by using the relational database management system MySQL and an ontology-based data structure. Reconstructed regulatory networks can be visualized by using the yFiles JAVA graph library. As an application example of CoryneRegNet, we have reconstructed the global transcriptional regulation of a cellular module involved in SOS and stress response of corynebacteria. Conclusion CoryneRegNet is an ontology-based data warehouse that allows a pertinent data management of regulatory interactions along with the genome-scale reconstruction of transcriptional regulatory networks. These models can further be combined with metabolic networks to build integrated models of cellular function including both metabolism and its transcriptional regulation. PMID:16478536

Total Reconstruction of the Auricle: Our Experiences on Indications and Recent Techniques

PubMed Central

Storck, K.; Staudenmaier, R.; Buchberger, M.; Strenger, T.; Kreutzer, K.; von Bomhard, A.; Stark, T.

2014-01-01

Introduction. Auricular reconstruction is a great challenge in facial plastic surgery. With the advances in surgical techniques and biotechnology, different options are available for consideration. The aim of this paper is to review the knowledge about the various techniques for total auricular reconstruction based on the literature and our experience. Methods. Approximately 179 articles published from 1980 to 2013 were identified, and 59 articles were included. We have focused on the current status of total auricular reconstruction based on our personal experience and on papers of particular interest, published within the period of review. We have also included a prospective view on the tissue engineering of cartilage. Results. Most surgeons still practice total auricular reconstruction by employing techniques developed by Brent, Nagata, and Firmin with autologous rib cartilage. Within the last years, alloplastic frameworks for reconstruction have become well established. Choosing the reconstruction techniques depends mainly on the surgeon's preference and experience. Prosthetic reconstruction is still reserved for special conditions, even though the material is constantly improving. Tissue engineering has a growing potential for clinical applicability. Conclusion. Auricular reconstruction still receives attention of plastic/maxillofacial surgeons and otolaryngologists. Even though clinical applicability lags behind initial expectations, the development of tissue-engineered constructs continues its potential development. PMID:24822198

Eyelid reconstruction: the state of the art.

PubMed

Verity, David H; Collin, J Richard O

2004-08-01

The goals of eyelid reconstruction are corneal protection, restoration of the integrity of the lid lamellae, and improvement of facial symmetry. Inadequate reconstruction may lead to corneal exposure and sight-threatening keratopathy; in the younger patient, visual deprivation and amblyopia may also follow. The purpose of this review is to describe new materials and approaches used in reconstructing the damaged eyelid. Although the surgical principles of lid reconstruction remain unchallenged, new materials and techniques have emerged. These include the use of both autogenous and cadaveric acellular dermis in the management of lower eyelid retraction, and amniotic membrane transplantation in the management of tarsal conjunctival disease. Recent work on upper facial nerve branch reinnervation in the animal model may also offer hope for eyelid reanimation after facial palsy. The lid surgeon requires a sound knowledge of the principles involved in reconstructing the respective lamellae of the lid. Anterior lamellar reconstruction carries a significant risk of ectropion, and large defects may require several interposition flaps for optimum skin texture and color reconstruction. New materials (autogenous and cadaveric) for posterior lid reconstruction may reduce donor site morbidity and surgical time, but they may contract significantly after surgery. Recent experience with amniotic membrane transplantation may improve the prognosis for patients with entropion and symblepharon caused by conjunctival cicatricial changes.

WE-DE-BRA-01: SCIENCE COUNCIL JUNIOR INVESTIGATOR COMPETITION WINNER: Acceleration of a Limited-Angle Intrafraction Verification (LIVE) System Using Adaptive Prior Knowledge Based Image Estimation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Y; Yin, F; Ren, L

Purpose: To develop an adaptive prior knowledge based image estimation method to reduce the scan angle needed in the LIVE system to reconstruct 4D-CBCT for intrafraction verification. Methods: The LIVE system has been previously proposed to reconstructs 4D volumetric images on-the-fly during arc treatment for intrafraction target verification and dose calculation. This system uses limited-angle beam’s eye view (BEV) MV cine images acquired from the treatment beam together with the orthogonally acquired limited-angle kV projections to reconstruct 4D-CBCT images for target verification during treatment. In this study, we developed an adaptive constrained free-form deformation reconstruction technique in LIVE to furthermore » reduce the scanning angle needed to reconstruct the CBCT images. This technique uses free form deformation with energy minimization to deform prior images to estimate 4D-CBCT based on projections acquired in limited angle (orthogonal 6°) during the treatment. Note that the prior images are adaptively updated using the latest CBCT images reconstructed by LIVE during treatment to utilize the continuity of patient motion.The 4D digital extended-cardiac-torso (XCAT) phantom was used to evaluate the efficacy of this technique with LIVE system. A lung patient was simulated with different scenario, including baseline drifts, amplitude change and phase shift. Limited-angle orthogonal kV and beam’s eye view (BEV) MV projections were generated for each scenario. The CBCT reconstructed by these projections were compared with the ground-truth generated in XCAT.Volume-percentage-difference (VPD) and center-of-mass-shift (COMS) were calculated between the reconstructed and the ground-truth tumors to evaluate the reconstruction accuracy. Results: Using orthogonal-view of 6° kV and BEV- MV projections, the VPD/COMS values were 12.7±4.0%/0.7±0.5 mm, 13.0±5.1%/0.8±0.5 mm, and 11.4±5.4%/0.5±0.3 mm for the three scenarios, respectively. Conclusion: The technique enables LIVE to accurately reconstruct 4D-CBCT images using only orthogonal 6° angle, which greatly improves the efficiency and reduces dose of LIVE for intrafraction verification.« less

Rehabilitation and nutritional support for sarcopenic dysphagia and tongue atrophy after glossectomy: A case report.

PubMed

Hashida, Nao; Shamoto, Hiroshi; Maeda, Keisuke; Wakabayashi, Hidetaka; Suzuki, Motoyuki; Fujii, Takashi

2017-03-01

Swallowing dysfunction is related to long-term weight loss and reduced body mass index in patients with head and neck cancer. We describe a 76-y-old woman who had severe sarcopenic dysphagia and atrophy of the reconstructed tongue for 17 mo after subtotal glossectomy due to tongue cancer and lost 14 kg during that period. Upon admission, the patient received diagnoses of malnutrition in the context of social or environmental circumstances with insufficient energy intake, loss of muscle mass, localized fluid accumulation, weight loss, and sarcopenia due to reduced skeletal muscle mass (skeletal muscle index <3.95 cm 2 /m 2 ) and low walking speed (<0.8 m/s). She was not able to eat anything and had a functional oral intake scale level of 1 and penetration-aspiration scale score of 7 points on video fluorography. We increased the nutritional intake to 1900 kcal/d and protein intake to 70.3 g/d by supplying sufficient excess energy, and provided physical therapy and dysphagia rehabilitation to improve sarcopenia, atrophy of the reconstructed tongue, and dysphagia. After 20 mo of treatment, she was considered to be no longer malnourished (11 kg weight gain) and without sarcopenia (skeletal muscle index 4.01 cm 2 /m 2 ), and the volume of the reconstructed tongue was increased. Sarcopenia and atrophy of the reconstructed tongue may cause dysphagia after glossectomy due to tongue cancer. Additionally, nutritional support and rehabilitation could improve such dysphagia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Inference of Gene Trees with Species Trees

PubMed Central

Szöllősi, Gergely J.; Tannier, Eric; Daubin, Vincent; Boussau, Bastien

2015-01-01

This article reviews the various models that have been used to describe the relationships between gene trees and species trees. Molecular phylogeny has focused mainly on improving models for the reconstruction of gene trees based on sequence alignments. Yet, most phylogeneticists seek to reveal the history of species. Although the histories of genes and species are tightly linked, they are seldom identical, because genes duplicate, are lost or horizontally transferred, and because alleles can coexist in populations for periods that may span several speciation events. Building models describing the relationship between gene and species trees can thus improve the reconstruction of gene trees when a species tree is known, and vice versa. Several approaches have been proposed to solve the problem in one direction or the other, but in general neither gene trees nor species trees are known. Only a few studies have attempted to jointly infer gene trees and species trees. These models account for gene duplication and loss, transfer or incomplete lineage sorting. Some of them consider several types of events together, but none exists currently that considers the full repertoire of processes that generate gene trees along the species tree. Simulations as well as empirical studies on genomic data show that combining gene tree–species tree models with models of sequence evolution improves gene tree reconstruction. In turn, these better gene trees provide a more reliable basis for studying genome evolution or reconstructing ancestral chromosomes and ancestral gene sequences. We predict that gene tree–species tree methods that can deal with genomic data sets will be instrumental to advancing our understanding of genomic evolution. PMID:25070970

Ancestral state reconstructions require biological evidence to test evolutionary hypotheses: A case study examining the evolution of reproductive mode in squamate reptiles.

PubMed

Griffith, Oliver W; Blackburn, Daniel G; Brandley, Matthew C; Van Dyke, James U; Whittington, Camilla M; Thompson, Michael B

2015-09-01

To understand evolutionary transformations it is necessary to identify the character states of extinct ancestors. Ancestral character state reconstruction is inherently difficult because it requires an accurate phylogeny, character state data, and a statistical model of transition rates and is fundamentally constrained by missing data such as extinct taxa. We argue that model based ancestral character state reconstruction should be used to generate hypotheses but should not be considered an analytical endpoint. Using the evolution of viviparity and reversals to oviparity in squamates as a case study, we show how anatomical, physiological, and ecological data can be used to evaluate hypotheses about evolutionary transitions. The evolution of squamate viviparity requires changes to the timing of reproductive events and the successive loss of features responsible for building an eggshell. A reversal to oviparity requires that those lost traits re-evolve. We argue that the re-evolution of oviparity is inherently more difficult than the reverse. We outline how the inviability of intermediate phenotypes might present physiological barriers to reversals from viviparity to oviparity. Finally, we show that ecological data supports an oviparous ancestral state for squamates and multiple transitions to viviparity. In summary, we conclude that the first squamates were oviparous, that frequent transitions to viviparity have occurred, and that reversals to oviparity in viviparous lineages either have not occurred or are exceedingly rare. As this evidence supports conclusions that differ from previous ancestral state reconstructions, our paper highlights the importance of incorporating biological evidence to evaluate model-generated hypotheses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of Billroth I and Roux-en-Y reconstruction after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: one-year postoperative effects assessed by a multi-institutional RCT.

PubMed

Hirao, Motohiro; Takiguchi, Shuji; Imamura, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Kurokawa, Yukinori; Fujita, Junya; Kobayashi, Kenji; Kimura, Yutaka; Mori, Masaki; Doki, Yuichiro

2013-05-01

This randomized, controlled trial evaluated the clinical efficacy of Billroth I (BI) and Roux-en-Y (RY) reconstruction at 1 year after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The primary end point was the amount of body weight lost at 1 postoperative year, and secondary end points included other items related to nutritional status such as serum albumin and lymphocyte count, as well as endoscopic examination findings of the remnant stomach and esophagus. Of the 332 patients enrolled, 163 were assigned to the BI group and 169 were randomized to the RY group. The loss in body weight 1 year after surgery did not differ significantly between the BI and RY groups (9.1 % and 9.7 %, respectively, p = 0.39). There were no significant differences in other aspects of nutritional status between the 2 groups. Endoscopic examination 1 year after gastrectomy showed reflux esophagitis in 26 patients (17 %) in the BI group versus 10 patients (6 %) in the RY group (p = 0.0037), while remnant gastritis was observed in 71 patients (46 %) in the BI group versus 44 patients (28 %) in the RY group (p = 0.0013); differences were significant for both conditions. Multivariable analysis showed that the only reconstruction was the independently associated factor with the incidence of reflux esophagitis. RY reconstruction was not superior to BI in terms of body weight change or other aspects of nutritional status at 1 year after surgery, although RY more effectively prevented reflux esophagitis and remnant gastritis after distal gastrectomy.

Prefabricated scalping forehead flap with skeletal support.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Masao; Suzuki, Ayano; Mizukami, Takahide; Terai, Tsutomu; Fukamizu, Hidekazu

2009-07-01

It is difficult to reconstruct a nose with adequate shape, color, and texture in patients who have full-thickness nasal defects with extensive loss of skeletal support. The scalping forehead flap is a reliable technique for nasal reconstruction. To our knowledge, however, there have been no reports about a prefabricated scalping forehead flap with a bone graft as skeletal support. In the case reported here, a prefabricated scalping forehead flap combined with an iliac bone graft as skeletal support was used to successfully reconstruct a full-thickness defect of the nose associated with partial frontal bone loss and complete loss of the nasal bones. Acceptable functional and aesthetic results were achieved. This method may be a good alternative for reconstruction of full-thickness nasal defects with extensive loss of skeletal support.

A promising limited angular computed tomography reconstruction via segmentation based regional enhancement and total variation minimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Wenkun; Zhang, Hanming; Li, Lei

2016-08-15

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a powerful and common inspection technique used for the industrial non-destructive testing. However, large-sized and heavily absorbing objects cause the formation of artifacts because of either the lack of specimen penetration in specific directions or the acquisition of data from only a limited angular range of views. Although the sparse optimization-based methods, such as the total variation (TV) minimization method, can suppress artifacts to some extent, reconstructing the images such that they converge to accurate values remains difficult because of the deficiency in continuous angular data and inconsistency in the projections. To address this problem,more » we use the idea of regional enhancement of the true values and suppression of the illusory artifacts outside the region to develop an efficient iterative algorithm. This algorithm is based on the combination of regional enhancement of the true values and TV minimization for the limited angular reconstruction. In this algorithm, the segmentation approach is introduced to distinguish the regions of different image knowledge and generate the support mask of the image. A new regularization term, which contains the support knowledge to enhance the true values of the image, is incorporated into the objective function. Then, the proposed optimization model is solved by variable splitting and the alternating direction method efficiently. A compensation approach is also designed to extract useful information from the initial projections and thus reduce false segmentation result and correct the segmentation support and the segmented image. The results obtained from comparing both simulation studies and real CT data set reconstructions indicate that the proposed algorithm generates a more accurate image than do the other reconstruction methods. The experimental results show that this algorithm can produce high-quality reconstructed images for the limited angular reconstruction and suppress the illusory artifacts caused by the deficiency in valid data.« less

Reconstructing shifts in vital rates driven by long-term environmental change: a new demographic method based on readily available data.

PubMed

González, Edgar J; Martorell, Carlos

2013-07-01

Frequently, vital rates are driven by directional, long-term environmental changes. Many of these are of great importance, such as land degradation, climate change, and succession. Traditional demographic methods assume a constant or stationary environment, and thus are inappropriate to analyze populations subject to these changes. They also require repeat surveys of the individuals as change unfolds. Methods for reconstructing such lengthy processes are needed. We present a model that, based on a time series of population size structures and densities, reconstructs the impact of directional environmental changes on vital rates. The model uses integral projection models and maximum likelihood to identify the rates that best reconstructs the time series. The procedure was validated with artificial and real data. The former involved simulated species with widely different demographic behaviors. The latter used a chronosequence of populations of an endangered cactus subject to increasing anthropogenic disturbance. In our simulations, the vital rates and their change were always reconstructed accurately. Nevertheless, the model frequently produced alternative results. The use of coarse knowledge of the species' biology (whether vital rates increase or decrease with size or their plausible values) allowed the correct rates to be identified with a 90% success rate. With real data, the model correctly reconstructed the effects of disturbance on vital rates. These effects were previously known from two populations for which demographic data were available. Our procedure seems robust, as the data violated several of the model's assumptions. Thus, time series of size structures and densities contain the necessary information to reconstruct changing vital rates. However, additional biological knowledge may be required to provide reliable results. Because time series of size structures and densities are available for many species or can be rapidly generated, our model can contribute to understand populations that face highly pressing environmental problems.

Reconstructing shifts in vital rates driven by long-term environmental change: a new demographic method based on readily available data

PubMed Central

González, Edgar J; Martorell, Carlos

2013-01-01

Frequently, vital rates are driven by directional, long-term environmental changes. Many of these are of great importance, such as land degradation, climate change, and succession. Traditional demographic methods assume a constant or stationary environment, and thus are inappropriate to analyze populations subject to these changes. They also require repeat surveys of the individuals as change unfolds. Methods for reconstructing such lengthy processes are needed. We present a model that, based on a time series of population size structures and densities, reconstructs the impact of directional environmental changes on vital rates. The model uses integral projection models and maximum likelihood to identify the rates that best reconstructs the time series. The procedure was validated with artificial and real data. The former involved simulated species with widely different demographic behaviors. The latter used a chronosequence of populations of an endangered cactus subject to increasing anthropogenic disturbance. In our simulations, the vital rates and their change were always reconstructed accurately. Nevertheless, the model frequently produced alternative results. The use of coarse knowledge of the species' biology (whether vital rates increase or decrease with size or their plausible values) allowed the correct rates to be identified with a 90% success rate. With real data, the model correctly reconstructed the effects of disturbance on vital rates. These effects were previously known from two populations for which demographic data were available. Our procedure seems robust, as the data violated several of the model's assumptions. Thus, time series of size structures and densities contain the necessary information to reconstruct changing vital rates. However, additional biological knowledge may be required to provide reliable results. Because time series of size structures and densities are available for many species or can be rapidly generated, our model can contribute to understand populations that face highly pressing environmental problems. PMID:23919169

A promising limited angular computed tomography reconstruction via segmentation based regional enhancement and total variation minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenkun; Zhang, Hanming; Li, Lei; Wang, Linyuan; Cai, Ailong; Li, Zhongguo; Yan, Bin

2016-08-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a powerful and common inspection technique used for the industrial non-destructive testing. However, large-sized and heavily absorbing objects cause the formation of artifacts because of either the lack of specimen penetration in specific directions or the acquisition of data from only a limited angular range of views. Although the sparse optimization-based methods, such as the total variation (TV) minimization method, can suppress artifacts to some extent, reconstructing the images such that they converge to accurate values remains difficult because of the deficiency in continuous angular data and inconsistency in the projections. To address this problem, we use the idea of regional enhancement of the true values and suppression of the illusory artifacts outside the region to develop an efficient iterative algorithm. This algorithm is based on the combination of regional enhancement of the true values and TV minimization for the limited angular reconstruction. In this algorithm, the segmentation approach is introduced to distinguish the regions of different image knowledge and generate the support mask of the image. A new regularization term, which contains the support knowledge to enhance the true values of the image, is incorporated into the objective function. Then, the proposed optimization model is solved by variable splitting and the alternating direction method efficiently. A compensation approach is also designed to extract useful information from the initial projections and thus reduce false segmentation result and correct the segmentation support and the segmented image. The results obtained from comparing both simulation studies and real CT data set reconstructions indicate that the proposed algorithm generates a more accurate image than do the other reconstruction methods. The experimental results show that this algorithm can produce high-quality reconstructed images for the limited angular reconstruction and suppress the illusory artifacts caused by the deficiency in valid data.

Effects of using WeChat-assisted perioperative care instructions for parents of pediatric patients undergoing day surgery for herniorrhaphy.

PubMed

Liu, Jun; Zheng, Xin; Chai, Shouxia; Lei, Meirong; Feng, Zehui; Zhang, Xuelin; Lopez, Violeta

2018-02-19

This study examined the effects of WeChat-assisted perioperative instructions for parents whose children were to undergo herniorrhaphy. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a day surgery center in China. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (WeChat) group (n = 209) and the control (Leaflet) group (n = 209). The primary outcomes of this study were parents' knowledge regarding hernia and rate of cancellation of children's surgery. The secondary outcomes were the rate of lost-to-follow-up and the rate of complications and adverse events during the seventh postoperative follow-up day. There was a significant difference in the rate of cancelling the surgery and the mean knowledge score between the WeChat group and leaflet groups. The lost-to-follow-up rate was significantly lower in the WeChat group (0.54%) than in the leaflet group (3.66%). The incidence of postoperative complications were higher in the control group. WeChat-assisted perioperative care instructions enhanced parents' knowledge on perioperative instructions and promoted the preparation of their children for day surgery resulting in lower rate of cancelling the surgery. WeChat has the ability to expand health services outside the hospital confines and could be used as an important low-cost health educational medium in China. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recostructing the Physics Teaching Didactic based on Marzano’s Learning Dimension on Training the Scientific Literacies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karim, S.; Prima, E. C.; Utari, S.; Saepuzaman, D.; Nugaha, M. G.

2017-02-01

Scientific literacy is currently considered as an important aspect supporting an useful citizenship ability for civilians inhabiting highly developed countries as well as developing countries. Consequently, certain countries recommended this scientific literacy to be applied at a national curricula. The PISA study showed the Indonesian scientific literacy level of 1, which means as just simple science phenomenon that could be exactly descibed by a student. This condition indicates that common science teachings do not optimally facillitate students to guide the scientific literacy. By proposing this research, the science didactic reconstruction will be offered in order to gain the students’ scientific literacy evaluated from the qualitative analysis of the action research and the students’ respons during learning science. The qualitative evaluation was developed based on the Marzano’s learning dimension about the scientific literacy. This research, involving 29 students as participants, analyzed the improved physics teaching didactic as described in the following sentences. The teaching reconstruction concerned a high attention to the development of the structural knowledge. The knowledge was acquired from a real phenomenon followed by giving the instructed questions as the second learning dimension. The third dimension of learning reconstruction aimed to provide the knowledge repetition on an appropriate science context. At the fourth dimension, the reconstruction should be improved in order to find the best treatment for the students. Hopefully, they can control the physical parameter and evaluate the result of their investigation related to the given science problems. It can be concluded that most of the students were interested in learning science. However, the productive learning didn’t accompany students to the Marzano’s second, third, and fourth learning dimensions.

The Angelina effect revisited: Exploring a media-related impact on public awareness.

PubMed

Lebo, Patricia Beatrice; Quehenberger, Franz; Kamolz, Lars-Peter; Lumenta, David Benjamin

2015-11-15

In 2013, Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy and publication of her personal treatment choice for BRCA1 positivity generated considerable media attention. To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first prospective survey conducted among the general public to measure a quantifiable media-related effect on public awareness. The authors analyzed the changes in the general public's awareness of reconstructive options in breast cancer among 2 female population-matched cohorts aged 18 to 65 years (1000 participants in each cohort) before (March 2013; poll 1) and after (June 2013; poll 2) the announcement of Ms. Jolie's mastectomy in May 2013. There was an observed increase in public awareness: significantly more women from poll 2 were aware of reconstructive breast surgery being possible after breast cancer-related mastectomy, notably with regard to autologous tissue and single-stage reconstructions. Approximately 20% of the women in poll 2 (205 women) indicated that media coverage regarding Ms. Jolie affected their interest in breast cancer. A question that was exclusive to poll 2 revealed a preference for autologous (66.2%) versus implant-based (8.2%) reconstructions, with the remainder indicating no preference (25.6%). None of the stratification variables were found to be associated with the above findings. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first prospective study to demonstrate a statistically significant impact of a celebrity announcement on public awareness regarding breast cancer treatment. The results underscore the importance of a media-related impact for professionals in the health care sector, which can serve as a tipping point for raising awareness and improving knowledge concerning a specific disease among the general public. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Joint Dictionary Learning for Multispectral Change Detection.

PubMed

Lu, Xiaoqiang; Yuan, Yuan; Zheng, Xiangtao

2017-04-01

Change detection is one of the most important applications of remote sensing technology. It is a challenging task due to the obvious variations in the radiometric value of spectral signature and the limited capability of utilizing spectral information. In this paper, an improved sparse coding method for change detection is proposed. The intuition of the proposed method is that unchanged pixels in different images can be well reconstructed by the joint dictionary, which corresponds to knowledge of unchanged pixels, while changed pixels cannot. First, a query image pair is projected onto the joint dictionary to constitute the knowledge of unchanged pixels. Then reconstruction error is obtained to discriminate between the changed and unchanged pixels in the different images. To select the proper thresholds for determining changed regions, an automatic threshold selection strategy is presented by minimizing the reconstruction errors of the changed pixels. Adequate experiments on multispectral data have been tested, and the experimental results compared with the state-of-the-art methods prove the superiority of the proposed method. Contributions of the proposed method can be summarized as follows: 1) joint dictionary learning is proposed to explore the intrinsic information of different images for change detection. In this case, change detection can be transformed as a sparse representation problem. To the authors' knowledge, few publications utilize joint learning dictionary in change detection; 2) an automatic threshold selection strategy is presented, which minimizes the reconstruction errors of the changed pixels without the prior assumption of the spectral signature. As a result, the threshold value provided by the proposed method can adapt to different data due to the characteristic of joint dictionary learning; and 3) the proposed method makes no prior assumption of the modeling and the handling of the spectral signature, which can be adapted to different data.

"Where Is the Post-Modern Truth We Have Lost in Reductionist Knowledge?" A Curriculum's Epitaph

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slabbert, Johannes A.; Hattingh, Annemarie

2006-01-01

This essay suggests a way for creating a curriculum for the future amidst the challenges of post-modern uncertainty. Curriculum discourse in the past has been dominated by widely-accepted key questions, which produce and maintain curricula that are essentially fragmented and reductionistic, and directly opposed to the essential demands of the…

The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring: A Case Study in Uganda

Treesearch

Robinah K. Nanyunja

2006-01-01

Biodiversity is being lost at unprecedented rates through destruction of habitats and ecosystems for short-term economic gain. Concern about this has led governments, multilateral organizations, scientists, environmentalists, and others to look for ways to promote the conservation of biodiversity. This concern has led to the development of rapid biodiversity assessment...

Implications of Shifting Technology in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Janet; Holland, John

2014-01-01

This article examines the implications of shifting technology trends by looking at what we've lost or are losing, where we are, and where we need to go for making the needed transitions in knowledge and skills. Areas of growth within new media and the tech industry are good indicators of our growing interests in mobility, improved quality,…

In Search of Yesterday's Words: Reactivating a Long-Forgotten Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Bot, Kees; Stoessel, Saskia

2000-01-01

Addresses the fate of languages acquired during childhood that have not been used in a long time to find out if they are lost, overridden by other languages acquired later, or maintained despite a lack of use. German subjects were tested for their knowledge of Dutch, which they acquired as a second language during childhood. (Author/VWL)

Fires and forest succession in the Bitterroot Mountains of northern Idaho

Treesearch

J. A. Larsen

1929-01-01

Foresters have recently begun to seek a more intimate knowledge of the natural, successional stages by which forests regain terrain lost by extensive fires or other pronounced denuding agencies. Studies in this field lead to a closer understanding of the factors which control the distribution, composition and density of the present forest, the silvical requirements of...

Historical versus contemporary medicinal plant uses in Ghana.

PubMed

Soelberg, J; Asase, A; Akwetey, G; Jäger, A K

2015-02-03

Three extraordinary, historical documents stemming from observations made in 1697, 1803 and 1817 quote medicinal plant uses among the Fante, Ga and Ashanti people of present-day Ghana, and can be linked to original botanical specimens in European herbaria. This provides a unique opportunity to gain insight to the historical materia medica of Ghana and compare this to contemporary medicinal plant uses. By critical literary and taxonomic review, the present study (re-)establishes the earliest known history of many important Ghanaian medicinal plants, and assesses the scale of change and loss of medicinal plant knowledge in Ghana over time. The study provides the foundation to reconstruct lost or discontinued Ghanaian plant uses in local or ethnopharmacological contexts. Historical botanical specimens were located in the herbaria of University of Copenhagen Herbarium (C) and British Museum of Natural History (BM). The classification and synonymy of the specimens were updated for the study, and the historical vernacular names and medicinal uses of the plants compared with 20th/21st century literature. The plants of the historical Ga materia medica were (re-)collected to aid in semi-structured interviews. The interviews aimed to document the contemporary uses and names of the plants among the Ga, and to determine to what extent the historical medicinal uses and names are extant. The study identified 100 species in historical medicinal use in Ghana, which could be linked to 134 unique uses and 105 vernacular names in Twi (Ashanti/Fante) and Ga. Most of the plants are common in Ghana. At least 52% of the historical vernacular names appear to still be in use today. Of the specific historical uses, 41 (31%) were traced among contemporary medicinal plant uses in Ghana and represent some of the most important Ghanaian medicinal plant species. However, 93 (69%) of the historical uses could not be traced and appears to be discontinued or forgotten. Among the Ga, two medicinal plants species have become rare or locally extinct, and thus the vast majority of the loss of knowledge appears to be due to cultural extinction. The scientifically strong voucher material allowed for identification of a high number of historical medicinal plants and their roots in traditional Ghanaian medicine systems 2-300 years ago. The materia medica of the Fante, Ga and Ashanti of Ghana has changed considerably over time. The "forgotten" historical uses warrant further studies to determine the pharmacological activity of these plants. This could provide the foundation for reconstruction of historical medicinal plant uses in evidence-based modern contexts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Technical information: The 'so called' Camille Bernard lower lip reconstruction: An eponymous confusion clarified].

PubMed

Marck, K W; Martin, D

2017-12-01

The use of eponyms honours those who have contributed to the development of medicine and facilitates communication between colleagues. Eponyms are based on historical knowledge to know who was the first to use a given technique. In the previous century, two different operative procedures have been attached to the 'so called' Bernard lower lip reconstruction. This historical literature on lip reconstruction with a focus on the years 1853-1855 elucidates the roles of Bernard, Saeman, Desgranges and Burow, and gives suggestions for eponyms that do justice to the innovating surgeons Bernard, Burow and Desgranges. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Contemporary Perspectives on Social Learning in Early Childhood Education. Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saracho, Olivia, Ed.; Spodek, Bernard, Ed.

2007-01-01

Social epistemology is a broad set of approaches to the study of knowledge and to gain information about the social dimensions. This intellectual movement of wide cross-disciplinary sources reconstructs the problems of epistemology when knowledge is considered to be intrinsically social. In the first chapter, "Social Epistemology and Social…

Reconstruction of the anus, rectovaginal septum, and distal part of the vagina after postirradiation necrosis. Report of a unique case

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nowacki, M.P.; Towpik, E.

1988-08-01

Successful repair of postirradiation total loss of the anal sphincters, rectovaginal septum, and distal part of the vagina is reported. Gracilis muscle flap was used as a substitute sphincter. Part of the muscle was wrapped-up in a split skin graft. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on new application of gracilis muscle and split skin graft in perineal reconstruction.

Productivity losses from road traffic deaths in Turkey.

PubMed

Naci, Huseyin; Baker, Timothy D

2008-03-01

The importance of road traffic injuries in Turkey is not generally appreciated, in part due to lack of knowledge of its economic burden and in part due to major underestimation in official statistics. The total years of potential life lost and potentially productive years of life lost from mortality were calculated in order to estimate the cost of productivity losses from road traffic deaths in Turkey. More years of potentially productive life are lost due to road traffic deaths than to respiratory tract illnesses or diabetes mellitus, two other serious health problems in Turkey. Road traffic deaths cost Turkey an estimated USD 2.6 billion every year in productivity losses alone, more than the World Bank estimate of the indirect costs from the 1999 Marmara earthquake (USD 1.2-2 billion), Turkey's worst earthquake since 1939 (World Bank Turkey Country Office, 1999). This study highlights the importance of accurate information in ameliorating the burden of road traffic safety in Turkey. Turkey has great opportunities to implement cost-effective interventions to reduce the economic burden of fatal and non-fatal road traffic injuries.

Reconstructing the Evolutionary History of Paralogous APETALA1/FRUITFULL-Like Genes in Grasses (Poaceae)

PubMed Central

Preston, Jill C.; Kellogg, Elizabeth A.

2006-01-01

Gene duplication is an important mechanism for the generation of evolutionary novelty. Paralogous genes that are not silenced may evolve new functions (neofunctionalization) that will alter the developmental outcome of preexisting genetic pathways, partition ancestral functions (subfunctionalization) into divergent developmental modules, or function redundantly. Functional divergence can occur by changes in the spatio-temporal patterns of gene expression and/or by changes in the activities of their protein products. We reconstructed the evolutionary history of two paralogous monocot MADS-box transcription factors, FUL1 and FUL2, and determined the evolution of sequence and gene expression in grass AP1/FUL-like genes. Monocot AP1/FUL-like genes duplicated at the base of Poaceae and codon substitutions occurred under relaxed selection mostly along the branch leading to FUL2. Following the duplication, FUL1 was apparently lost from early diverging taxa, a pattern consistent with major changes in grass floral morphology. Overlapping gene expression patterns in leaves and spikelets indicate that FUL1 and FUL2 probably share some redundant functions, but that FUL2 may have become temporally restricted under partial subfunctionalization to particular stages of floret development. These data have allowed us to reconstruct the history of AP1/FUL-like genes in Poaceae and to hypothesize a role for this gene duplication in the evolution of the grass spikelet. PMID:16816429

Sub-component modeling for face image reconstruction in video communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiell, Derek J.; Xiao, Jing; Katsaggelos, Aggelos K.

2008-08-01

Emerging communications trends point to streaming video as a new form of content delivery. These systems are implemented over wired systems, such as cable or ethernet, and wireless networks, cell phones, and portable game systems. These communications systems require sophisticated methods of compression and error-resilience encoding to enable communications across band-limited and noisy delivery channels. Additionally, the transmitted video data must be of high enough quality to ensure a satisfactory end-user experience. Traditionally, video compression makes use of temporal and spatial coherence to reduce the information required to represent an image. In many communications systems, the communications channel is characterized by a probabilistic model which describes the capacity or fidelity of the channel. The implication is that information is lost or distorted in the channel, and requires concealment on the receiving end. We demonstrate a generative model based transmission scheme to compress human face images in video, which has the advantages of a potentially higher compression ratio, while maintaining robustness to errors and data corruption. This is accomplished by training an offline face model and using the model to reconstruct face images on the receiving end. We propose a sub-component AAM modeling the appearance of sub-facial components individually, and show face reconstruction results under different types of video degradation using a weighted and non-weighted version of the sub-component AAM.

Reconstruction of the maxillary midline papilla following a combined orthodontic-periodontic treatment in adult periodontal patients.

PubMed

Cardaropoli, Daniele; Re, Stefania; Corrente, Giuseppe; Abundo, Roberto

2004-02-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of a combined orthodontic-periodontic treatment in determining the reconstruction of midline papilla lost following periodontitis. Twenty-eight patients, with infrabony defect and extrusion of one maxillary central incisor, were treated. At baseline, all patients presented opening of the interdental diastema and loss of the papilla. At 7-10 days after open-flap surgery, the intrusive movement started. For each patient, probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL) and papilla presence index (PI) were assessed at baseline, end of treatment and after 1 year. PI was also evaluated independently in patients with narrow or wide periodontal biotype (NPB-WPB). All parameters showed statistical improvement between the initial and final measurements, and showed no changes at follow-up time. The mean residual PPD was 2.50 mm, with a decrease of 4.29 mm, while the mean CAL gain was 5.93 mm. Twenty-three out of 28 patients improved the PI score at the end of therapy. No statistical difference was recorded in PI values between groups NPB and WPB. The presented clinical protocol resulted in the improvement of all parameters examined. At the end of orthodontic treatment, a predictable reconstruction of the interdental papilla was reported, both in patients with thin or wide gingiva. Copyright Blackwell Munksgaard, 2004.

A 10-year review of breast reconstruction in a university-based public hospital.

PubMed

Levine, Steven M; Levine, Anne; Raghubir, Javita; Levine, Jamie P

2012-10-01

Breast reconstruction rates continue to slowly rise in large part because of patients and physicians becoming more knowledgeable about postmastectomy options. Overall satisfaction with breast reconstruction after mastectomy has traditionally been high, only adding to the popularity of this choice. Prior research has demonstrated that race, age, and socioeconomic status are important determinants in whether a patient undergoes breast reconstruction; specifically, indigent women have a lower rate of breast reconstruction when compared to the national average. All records of patients who received mastectomies between January 2001 and December 2009 were examined. The PubMed database was used to search for reference articles. Between January 2001 and December 2009, 309 patients underwent mastectomy, and 134 (43.4%) elected reconstruction. Patients in age ranges 20 to 39 and 40 to 59 were both significantly more likely to undergo reconstruction than patients older than 60 years. Disease stage was not significantly related to rates of breast reconstruction. Reconstruction rates by race and ethnicity were analyzed and demonstrated a significantly lower rate of breast reconstruction in Asian women (34%) compared with Hispanic women (48%), despite the same access to available services. Our data demonstrate breast reconstruction rates significantly higher than prior studies for women in this public hospital demographic, rivaling the reported numbers from dedicated cancer centers where breast reconstruction is expected to be at the highest range. Types of reconstruction were based mainly on patient choice after full discussion regarding individual options. These data suggest that patients considered to be financially indigent are more likely to have breast reconstruction when their care is delivered at a university-based public hospital where immediate and consistent patient education is practiced in a multidisciplinary setting.

Quantitative analysis of artifacts in 4D DSA: the relative contributions of beam hardening and scatter to vessel dropout behind highly attenuating structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermus, James; Szczykutowicz, Timothy P.; Strother, Charles M.; Mistretta, Charles

2014-03-01

When performing Computed Tomographic (CT) image reconstruction on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) projections, loss of vessel contrast has been observed behind highly attenuating anatomy, such as dental implants and large contrast filled aneurysms. Because this typically occurs only in a limited range of projection angles, the observed contrast time course can potentially be altered. In this work, we have developed a model for acquiring DSA projections that models both the polychromatic nature of the x-ray spectrum and the x-ray scattering interactions to investigate this problem. In our simulation framework, scatter and beam hardening contributions to vessel dropout can be analyzed separately. We constructed digital phantoms with large clearly defined regions containing iodine contrast, bone, soft issue, titanium (dental implants) or combinations of these materials. As the regions containing the materials were large and rectangular, when the phantoms were forward projected, the projections contained uniform regions of interest (ROI) and enabled accurate vessel dropout analysis. Two phantom models were used, one to model the case of a vessel behind a large contrast filled aneurysm and the other to model a vessel behind a dental implant. Cases in which both beam hardening and scatter were turned off, only scatter was turned on, only beam hardening was turned on, and both scatter and beam hardening were turned on, were simulated for both phantom models. The analysis of this data showed that the contrast degradation is primarily due to scatter. When analyzing the aneurysm case, 90.25% of the vessel contrast was lost in the polychromatic scatter image, however only 50.5% of the vessel contrast was lost in the beam hardening only image. When analyzing the teeth case, 44.2% of the vessel contrast was lost in the polychromatic scatter image and only 26.2% of the vessel contrast was lost in the beam hardening only image.

EEL spectroscopic tomography: towards a new dimension in nanomaterials analysis.

PubMed

Yedra, Lluís; Eljarrat, Alberto; Arenal, Raúl; Pellicer, Eva; Cabo, Moisés; López-Ortega, Alberto; Estrader, Marta; Sort, Jordi; Baró, Maria Dolors; Estradé, Sònia; Peiró, Francesca

2012-11-01

Electron tomography is a widely spread technique for recovering the three dimensional (3D) shape of nanostructured materials. Using a spectroscopic signal to achieve a reconstruction adds a fourth chemical dimension to the 3D structure. Up to date, energy filtering of the images in the transmission electron microscope (EFTEM) is the usual spectroscopic method even if most of the information in the spectrum is lost. Unlike EFTEM tomography, the use of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectrum images (SI) for tomographic reconstruction retains all chemical information, and the possibilities of this new approach still remain to be fully exploited. In this article we prove the feasibility of EEL spectroscopic tomography at low voltages (80 kV) and short acquisition times from data acquired using an aberration corrected instrument and data treatment by Multivariate Analysis (MVA), applied to Fe(x)Co((3-x))O(4)@Co(3)O(4) mesoporous materials. This approach provides a new scope into materials; the recovery of full EELS signal in 3D. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Extraction of motor activity from the cervical spinal cord of behaving rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Abhishek; Sahin, Mesut

2006-12-01

Injury at the cervical region of the spinal cord results in the loss of the skeletal muscle control from below the shoulders and hence causes quadriplegia. The brain-computer interface technique is one way of generating a substitute for the lost command signals in these severely paralyzed individuals using the neural signals from the brain. In this study, we are investigating the feasibility of an alternative method where the volitional signals are extracted from the cervical spinal cord above the point of injury. A microelectrode array assembly was implanted chronically at the C5-C6 level of the spinal cord in rats. Neural recordings were made during the face cleaning behavior with forelimbs as this task involves cyclic forelimb movements and does not require any training. The correlation between the volitional motor signals and the elbow movements was studied. Linear regression technique was used to reconstruct the arm movement from the rectified-integrated version of the principal neural components. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of extracting the motor signals from the cervical spinal cord and using them for reconstruction of the elbow movements.

Phylogenetic analysis reveals a scattered distribution of autumn colours

PubMed Central

Archetti, Marco

2009-01-01

Background and Aims Leaf colour in autumn is rarely considered informative for taxonomy, but there is now growing interest in the evolution of autumn colours and different hypotheses are debated. Research efforts are hindered by the lack of basic information: the phylogenetic distribution of autumn colours. It is not known when and how autumn colours evolved. Methods Data are reported on the autumn colours of 2368 tree species belonging to 400 genera of the temperate regions of the world, and an analysis is made of their phylogenetic relationships in order to reconstruct the evolutionary origin of red and yellow in autumn leaves. Key Results Red autumn colours are present in at least 290 species (70 genera), and evolved independently at least 25 times. Yellow is present independently from red in at least 378 species (97 genera) and evolved at least 28 times. Conclusions The phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that autumn colours have been acquired and lost many times during evolution. This scattered distribution could be explained by hypotheses involving some kind of coevolutionary interaction or by hypotheses that rely on the need for photoprotection. PMID:19126636

Age-Based Comparison of Human Dendritic Spine Structure Using Complete Three-Dimensional Reconstructions

PubMed Central

Benavides-Piccione, Ruth; Fernaud-Espinosa, Isabel; Robles, Victor; Yuste, Rafael; DeFelipe, Javier

2013-01-01

Dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons are targets of most excitatory synapses in the cerebral cortex. Recent evidence suggests that the morphology of the dendritic spine could determine its synaptic strength and learning rules. However, unfortunately, there are scant data available regarding the detailed morphology of these structures for the human cerebral cortex. In the present study, we analyzed over 8900 individual dendritic spines that were completely 3D reconstructed along the length of apical and basal dendrites of layer III pyramidal neurons in the cingulate cortex of 2 male humans (aged 40 and 85 years old), using intracellular injections of Lucifer Yellow in fixed tissue. We assembled a large, quantitative database, which revealed a major reduction in spine densities in the aged case. Specifically, small and short spines of basal dendrites and long spines of apical dendrites were lost, regardless of the distance from the soma. Given the age difference between the cases, our results suggest selective alterations in spines with aging in humans and indicate that the spine volume and length are regulated by different biological mechanisms. PMID:22710613

[Using ecology thinking reconstructing traditional agronomy: role of production ecology].

PubMed

Wang, Song-Liang

2012-08-01

Traditional agronomy, as a discipline or specialty, is originated from the reductionism thinking of neoteric experimental sciences and motivated by the great success of industrialized revolution, but loses the ensemble grasp of the relationships between agricultural organisms and their resources and environment, i.e., agroecosystem mechanism. Moreover, due to the excessively relying on exogenous fossil energy input and the monoculture with a few highly productive crop cultivars, the agricultural interior sustainability has unceasingly lost, making our mankind facing the double crises of grain security and food safety. Therefore, it is imperative to reconstruct the traditional agronomy and its educational system. In this paper, the author proposed to link traditional agronomy with ecology, establishing agroecology as the core subject and agroecosystem management as the core applied system, and in particular, establishing 'production ecology' to fill up the wide gap between the crop cultivation and farming system and the crop genetics and breeding, the two second grade disciplines under agronomy. Ideologically and methodologically, this proposal could provide disciplinary, scientific, and educational bases to authentically implement the strategy of sustainable development of agriculture.

Probabilistic Evaluation of Three-Dimensional Reconstructions from X-Ray Images Spanning a Limited Angle

PubMed Central

Frost, Anja; Renners, Eike; Hötter, Michael; Ostermann, Jörn

2013-01-01

An important part of computed tomography is the calculation of a three-dimensional reconstruction of an object from series of X-ray images. Unfortunately, some applications do not provide sufficient X-ray images. Then, the reconstructed objects no longer truly represent the original. Inside of the volumes, the accuracy seems to vary unpredictably. In this paper, we introduce a novel method to evaluate any reconstruction, voxel by voxel. The evaluation is based on a sophisticated probabilistic handling of the measured X-rays, as well as the inclusion of a priori knowledge about the materials that the object receiving the X-ray examination consists of. For each voxel, the proposed method outputs a numerical value that represents the probability of existence of a predefined material at the position of the voxel while doing X-ray. Such a probabilistic quality measure was lacking so far. In our experiment, false reconstructed areas get detected by their low probability. In exact reconstructed areas, a high probability predominates. Receiver Operating Characteristics not only confirm the reliability of our quality measure but also demonstrate that existing methods are less suitable for evaluating a reconstruction. PMID:23344378

Accelerating 4D flow MRI by exploiting vector field divergence regularization.

PubMed

Santelli, Claudio; Loecher, Michael; Busch, Julia; Wieben, Oliver; Schaeffter, Tobias; Kozerke, Sebastian

2016-01-01

To improve velocity vector field reconstruction from undersampled four-dimensional (4D) flow MRI by penalizing divergence of the measured flow field. Iterative image reconstruction in which magnitude and phase are regularized separately in alternating iterations was implemented. The approach allows incorporating prior knowledge of the flow field being imaged. In the present work, velocity data were regularized to reduce divergence, using either divergence-free wavelets (DFW) or a finite difference (FD) method using the ℓ1-norm of divergence and curl. The reconstruction methods were tested on a numerical phantom and in vivo data. Results of the DFW and FD approaches were compared with data obtained with standard compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction. Relative to standard CS, directional errors of vector fields and divergence were reduced by 55-60% and 38-48% for three- and six-fold undersampled data with the DFW and FD methods. Velocity vector displays of the numerical phantom and in vivo data were found to be improved upon DFW or FD reconstruction. Regularization of vector field divergence in image reconstruction from undersampled 4D flow data is a valuable approach to improve reconstruction accuracy of velocity vector fields. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tendon 'turnover lengthening' technique.

PubMed

Cerovac, S; Miranda, B H

2013-11-01

Tendon defect reconstruction is amongst the most technically challenging areas in hand surgery. Tendon substance deficiency reconstruction techniques include lengthening, grafting, two-stage reconstruction and tendon transfers, however each is associated with unique challenges over and above direct repair. We describe a novel 'turnover lengthening' technique for hand tendons that has successfully been applied to the repair of several cases, including a case of attritional flexor and traumatic extensor tendon rupture in two presented patients where primary tenorrhaphy was not possible. In both cases a good post-operative outcome was achieved, as the patients were happy having returned back to normal activities of daily living such that they were discharged 12 weeks post-operatively. Our technique avoids the additional morbidity and complications associated with grafting, transfers and two stage reconstructions. It is quick, simple and reproducible for defects not exceeding 3-4 cm, provides a means of immediate one stage reconstruction, no secondary donor site morbidity and does not compromise salvage by tendon transfer and/or two-stage reconstruction in cases of failure. To our knowledge no such technique has been previously been described to reconstruct such hand tendon defects. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-Cartesian MRI Reconstruction With Automatic Regularization Via Monte-Carlo SURE

PubMed Central

Weller, Daniel S.; Nielsen, Jon-Fredrik; Fessler, Jeffrey A.

2013-01-01

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) reconstruction from undersampled k-space data requires regularization to reduce noise and aliasing artifacts. Proper application of regularization however requires appropriate selection of associated regularization parameters. In this work, we develop a data-driven regularization parameter adjustment scheme that minimizes an estimate (based on the principle of Stein’s unbiased risk estimate—SURE) of a suitable weighted squared-error measure in k-space. To compute this SURE-type estimate, we propose a Monte-Carlo scheme that extends our previous approach to inverse problems (e.g., MRI reconstruction) involving complex-valued images. Our approach depends only on the output of a given reconstruction algorithm and does not require knowledge of its internal workings, so it is capable of tackling a wide variety of reconstruction algorithms and nonquadratic regularizers including total variation and those based on the ℓ1-norm. Experiments with simulated and real MR data indicate that the proposed approach is capable of providing near mean squared-error (MSE) optimal regularization parameters for single-coil undersampled non-Cartesian MRI reconstruction. PMID:23591478

The Impact of the Revised Sunspot Record on Solar Irradiance Reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopp, G.; Krivova, N.; Lean, J.; Wu, C. J.

2015-12-01

We describe the expected effects of the new sunspot number time series on proxy model based reconstructions of the total solar irradiance (TSI), which is largely explained by the opposing effects of dark sunspots and bright faculae. Regressions of indices for facular brightening and sunspot darkening with time series of direct TSI observations during the recent 37-year spacecraft TSI measurement era determine the relative contributions from each. Historical TSI reconstructions are enabled by extending these proxy models back in time prior to the start of the measurement record using a variety of solar activity indices including the sunspot number time series alone prior to 1882. Such reconstructions are critical for Earth climate research, which requires knowledge of the incident energy from the Sun to assess climate sensitivity to the natural influence of solar variability. Two prominent TSI reconstructions that utilize the sunspot record starting in 1610 are the NRLTSI and the SATIRE models. We review the indices that each currently uses and estimate the effects the revised sunspot record has on these reconstructions.

Israeli mothers' meaning reconstruction in the aftermath of homicide.

PubMed

Mahat-Shamir, Michal; Leichtentritt, Ronit D

2016-01-01

This study is the first to our knowledge to provide an in-depth account of the meanings reconstructed by bereaved Israeli mothers of homicide victims. Homicide survivors tend to receive little or no support from society; this is especially true in Israel, where homicide victims are a neglected population whose voice is socially muted. Constructivist theories have informed understanding of grief, emphasizing the role of meaning reconstruction in adaptation to bereavement, as well as the role of social support in the process of meaning reconstruction. We derived 3 prototypes of meaning from interviews of 12 bereaved mothers: the existential paradox; a bifurcated worldview; and oppression, mortification, and humiliation. Most informants used all 3 prototypes in the process of reconstructing meaning, describing changes in the perception of themselves, the world, and society. However, change was also accompanied by continuity, because participants did not abandon their former worldview while adopting a new one. The findings suggest that meaning reconstruction in the aftermath of homicide is a unique, multifaceted, and contradictory process. Implications for practice are outlined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The StarView intelligent query mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Semmel, R. D.; Silberberg, D. P.

1993-01-01

The StarView interface is being developed to facilitate the retrieval of scientific and engineering data produced by the Hubble Space Telescope. While predefined screens in the interface can be used to specify many common requests, ad hoc requests require a dynamic query formulation capability. Unfortunately, logical level knowledge is too sparse to support this capability. In particular, essential formulation knowledge is lost when the domain of interest is mapped to a set of database relation schemas. Thus, a system known as QUICK has been developed that uses conceptual design knowledge to facilitate query formulation. By heuristically determining strongly associated objects at the conceptual level, QUICK is able to formulate semantically reasonable queries in response to high-level requests that specify only attributes of interest. Moreover, by exploiting constraint knowledge in the conceptual design, QUICK assures that queries are formulated quickly and will execute efficiently.

Francis Bacon's Valerius Terminus and the Voyage to the "Great Instauration".

PubMed

Serjeantson, Richard

2017-01-01

Francis Bacon's earliest surviving natural philosophical treatise (composed circa 1603) bears the title Valerius Terminus of the Interpretation of Nature. This study, resting on fresh attention to the surviving authorial manuscript, has three goals. It begins by identifying a lost precursor work apparently entitled "Of Active Knowledge." It then examines the significance of the pseudonyms Bacon chose to introduce his ideas, considering especially his invocation of Erasmus's emblem, the Roman deity Terminus. Finally, it shows how the Valerius Terminus's global vision of contemporary knowledge ultimately helped shape the iconography of Bacon's published Instauratio magna.

The arrector pili muscle, the bridge between the follicular stem cell niche and the interfollicular epidermis.

PubMed

Torkamani, Niloufar; Rufaut, Nicholas; Jones, Leslie; Sinclair, Rodney

2017-01-01

Proximally, the arrector pili muscle (APM) attaches to the follicular stem cell niche in the bulge, but its distal properties are comparatively unclear. In this work, a novel method employing an F-actin probe, phalloidin, was employed to visualize the APM anatomy. Phalloidin staining of the APM was validated by comparison with conventional antibodies/stains and by generating three-dimensional reconstructions. The proximal attachment of the APM to the bulge in 8 patients with androgenic alopecia was studied using Masson's trichrome stain. Phalloidin visualized extensive branching of the APM. The distal end of the human APM exhibits a unique "C"-shaped structure connecting to the dermal-epidermal junction. The proximal APM attachment was observed to be lost or extremely miniaturized in androgenic alopecia. The unique shape, location, and attachment sites of the APM suggest a significant role for this muscle in maintaining follicular integrity. Proximally, the APM encircles the follicular unit and only attaches to the primary hair follicle in the bulge; this attachment is lost in irreversible hair loss. The APM exhibits an arborized morphology as it ascends toward the epidermis, and anchors to the basement membrane.

Non-invasive quantitative micro-PIXE-RBS/EBS/EBS imaging reveals the lost polychromy and gilding of the Neo-Assyrian ivories from the Louvre collection.

PubMed

Albéric, Marie; Müller, Katharina; Pichon, Laurent; Lemasson, Quentin; Moignard, Brice; Pacheco, Claire; Fontan, Elisabeth; Reiche, Ina

2015-05-01

Antique objects are known to have been brightly colored. However, the appearance of these objects has changed over time and paint traces are rarely preserved. The surface of ivory objects (8th century B.C., Syria) from the Louvre museum collection (Paris) have been non-invasively studied by simultaneous particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and Rutherford and elastic backscattering spectrometry (RBS/EBS) micro-imaging at the AGLAE facility (C2RMF, Paris). Qualitative 2D chemical images of elements ranging from Na to Pb on the surface of the ancient ivory carvings provide evidence of lost polychromy and gilding. Quantitative PIXE data of specific areas allow discrimination between traces of sediments and former polychromy. Different shades of blue can be differentiated from particular Pb/Cu ratios. The characterization of gilding based on RBS data demonstrates the exceptional technological skills of the Phoenician craftsmen supposed to have carved the Arslan Tash ivories. More precise reconstructions of the original polychromy compared to previous studies and a criterion for the authentication of ancient gilded ivory object are proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lost data is found: Rescuing Geostationary Weather Satellite Data from 1975 -1979

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robaidek, J. O.; Forrest, D.; Ratcliff, D.; Troxel-Hoehn, N.; Moses, J. F.

2016-12-01

Until the late 1970s, United States geostationary weather satellite data were not routinely archived.. Datasets were sometimes collected and stored on 9-track tapes in an ad hoc fashion depending on the individual scientist's immediate needs. This is one of the reasons why the national archive of GOES/SMS data, stored at NOAA NCEI, does not begin until 1978 even though SMS data were being transmitted as early as 1974. This changed in 1978 when Professor Verner Suomi of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Space Science Engineering Center (SSEC), started the first routine archive of GOES/SMS satellite data to coincide with the First GARP Global Experiment (FGGE) of 1978-1979. A set of SMS 9-track tapes from 1974-1975 were recently rediscovered at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. In addition, some of the original Meteosat data from FGGE were rediscovered within SSEC's archives. Over the past 18 months SSEC has recovered much of the SMS data from deteriorating tapes and most of the original Meteosat FGGE data, thought to have been lost. The extraction of these data from 9-track tape and the reconstruction of the data are discussed.

The complex evolutionary history of the tympanic middle ear in frogs and toads (Anura)

PubMed Central

Pereyra, Martín O.; Womack, Molly C.; Barrionuevo, J. Sebastián; Blotto, Boris L.; Baldo, Diego; Targino, Mariane; Ospina-Sarria, Jhon Jairo; Guayasamin, Juan M.; Coloma, Luis A.; Hoke, Kim L.; Grant, Taran; Faivovich, Julián

2016-01-01

Most anurans possess a tympanic middle ear (TME) that transmits sound waves to the inner ear; however, numerous species lack some or all TME components. To understand the evolution of these structures, we undertook a comprehensive assessment of their occurrence across anurans and performed ancestral character state reconstructions. Our analysis indicates that the TME was completely lost at least 38 independent times in Anura. The inferred evolutionary history of the TME is exceptionally complex in true toads (Bufonidae), where it was lost in the most recent common ancestor, preceding a radiation of >150 earless species. Following that initial loss, independent regains of some or all TME structures were inferred within two minor clades and in a radiation of >400 species. The reappearance of the TME in the latter clade was followed by at least 10 losses of the entire TME. The many losses and gains of the TME in anurans is unparalleled among tetrapods. Our results show that anurans, and especially bufonid toads, are an excellent model to study the behavioural correlates of earlessness, extratympanic sound pathways, and the genetic and developmental mechanisms that underlie the morphogenesis of TME structures. PMID:27677839

The complex evolutionary history of the tympanic middle ear in frogs and toads (Anura).

PubMed

Pereyra, Martín O; Womack, Molly C; Barrionuevo, J Sebastián; Blotto, Boris L; Baldo, Diego; Targino, Mariane; Ospina-Sarria, Jhon Jairo; Guayasamin, Juan M; Coloma, Luis A; Hoke, Kim L; Grant, Taran; Faivovich, Julián

2016-09-28

Most anurans possess a tympanic middle ear (TME) that transmits sound waves to the inner ear; however, numerous species lack some or all TME components. To understand the evolution of these structures, we undertook a comprehensive assessment of their occurrence across anurans and performed ancestral character state reconstructions. Our analysis indicates that the TME was completely lost at least 38 independent times in Anura. The inferred evolutionary history of the TME is exceptionally complex in true toads (Bufonidae), where it was lost in the most recent common ancestor, preceding a radiation of >150 earless species. Following that initial loss, independent regains of some or all TME structures were inferred within two minor clades and in a radiation of >400 species. The reappearance of the TME in the latter clade was followed by at least 10 losses of the entire TME. The many losses and gains of the TME in anurans is unparalleled among tetrapods. Our results show that anurans, and especially bufonid toads, are an excellent model to study the behavioural correlates of earlessness, extratympanic sound pathways, and the genetic and developmental mechanisms that underlie the morphogenesis of TME structures.

The Tree-Ring Mercury Record of Gold Mining in the Klondike, Central Yukon Territory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clackett, S.; Porter, T. J.; Lehnherr, I.

2016-12-01

Mercury (Hg) is an atmospherically mixed pollutant of global concern with the potential to become toxic methyl-Hg (MeHg) is some environments. Accurate projections of future health impacts caused by Hg pollution will partly depend on changes in the atmospheric Hg pool, but knowledge of natural Hg variability is limited by a lack of long term monitoring data, which precludes a robust analysis of how it may evolve in the future. Natural archives such as lake sediments, ice cores and tree-rings have the potential to fill this knowledge gap. Tree-rings may be ideally suited for this purpose since they are annually resolved, they span multiple centuries in some areas, and cover large portions of the Earth's surface. Few studies have evaluated tree-ring Hg, and generally agree tree-rings are a passive archive for local Hg emissions. However, further studies are needed to validate this hypothesis. An ideal site to test this proxy is Bear Creek in the Klondike where the Hg amalgamation method was used during the period 1918-1966 to recover fine gold from placer ore. Gaseous Hg was lost to the local environment during operations, as is confirmed by high soil Hg concentrations at the site today. Local trees would have been exposed to the elevated Hg emissions. We measured tree-ring Hg at Bear Creek to determine if historical Hg trends are preserved. Our preliminary results from a single tree reveal that: (1) peak tree-ring Hg coincides with Bear Creek operations; (2) the lowest tree-ring Hg is observed during the pre-industrial control period (1870-1880); and (3) post-Bear Creek operations (1970-2010) coincides with intermediate tree-ring Hg levels, presumably due to higher Hg global backgrounds in recent decades. Additional trees are being analysed to determine if this result is robust, and will provide important insights on the reliability of this proxy for reconstructing long-term atmospheric Hg at local and potentially broader spatial scales.

Basic science of anterior cruciate ligament injury and repair

PubMed Central

Kiapour, A. M.; Murray, M. M.

2014-01-01

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most devastating and frequent injuries of the knee. Surgical reconstruction is the current standard of care for treatment of ACL injuries in active patients. The widespread adoption of ACL reconstruction over primary repair was based on early perception of the limited healing capacity of the ACL. Although the majority of ACL reconstruction surgeries successfully restore gross joint stability, post-traumatic osteoarthritis is commonplace following these injuries, even with ACL reconstruction. The development of new techniques to limit the long-term clinical sequelae associated with ACL reconstruction has been the main focus of research over the past decades. The improved knowledge of healing, along with recent advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, has resulted in the discovery of novel biologically augmented ACL-repair techniques that have satisfactory outcomes in preclinical studies. This instructional review provides a summary of the latest advances made in ACL repair. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:20–31. PMID:24497504

Spare-Part Surgery

PubMed Central

Peng, Yeong Pin; Lahiri, Amitabha

2013-01-01

The authors discuss the use of scavenged tissue for reconstruction of an injured limb, also referred to as “spare-part surgery.” It forms an important part of overall reconstructive strategy. Though some principles can be laid down, there is no “textbook” method for the surgeon to follow. Successful application of this strategy requires understanding of the concept, accurate judgment, and the ability to plan “on-the-spot,” as well as knowledge and skill to improvise composite flaps from nonsalvageable parts. Requirements for limb reconstruction vary from simple solutions such as tissue coverage, which include skin grafts or flaps to more complex planning as in functional reconstruction of the hand, where the functional importance of individual digits as well as the overall prehensile function of the hand needs to be addressed right from the time of primary surgery. The incorporation of the concept of spare-part surgery allows the surgeon to carry out primary reconstruction of the limb without resorting to harvest tissue from other regions of the body. PMID:24872768

Patterning by heritage in mouse molar row development.

PubMed

Prochazka, Jan; Pantalacci, Sophie; Churava, Svatava; Rothova, Michaela; Lambert, Anne; Lesot, Hervé; Klein, Ophir; Peterka, Miroslav; Laudet, Vincent; Peterkova, Renata

2010-08-31

It is known from paleontology studies that two premolars have been lost during mouse evolution. During mouse mandible development, two bud-like structures transiently form that may represent rudimentary precursors of the lost premolars. However, the interpretation of these structures and their significance for mouse molar development are highly controversial because of a lack of molecular data. Here, we searched for typical tooth signaling centers in these two bud-like structures, and followed their fate using molecular markers, 3D reconstructions, and lineage tracing in vitro. Transient signaling centers were indeed found to be located at the tips of both the anterior and posterior rudimentary buds. These centers expressed a similar set of molecular markers as the "primary enamel knot" (pEK), the signaling center of the first molar (M1). These two transient signaling centers were sequentially patterned before and anterior to the M1 pEK. We also determined the dynamics of the M1 pEK, which, slightly later during development, spread up to the field formerly occupied by the posterior transient signaling center. It can be concluded that two rudimentary tooth buds initiate the sequential development of the mouse molars and these have previously been mistaken for early stages of M1 development. Although neither rudiment progresses to form an adult tooth, the posterior one merges with the adjacent M1, which may explain the anterior enlargement of the M1 during mouse family evolution. This study highlights how rudiments of lost structures can stay integrated and participate in morphogenesis of functional organs and help in understanding their evolution, as Darwin suspected long ago.

Getting Lost in Translation? An Analysis of the International Engagement of Practitioners and Policy-Makers with the Educational Effectiveness Research Base

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Alma; Chapman, Christopher; Muijs, Daniel; Reynolds, David

2013-01-01

Educational effectiveness research (EER) has accumulated much knowledge in the areas of school effectiveness research (SER), teacher effectiveness research (TER) and school/system improvement research (SSIR). Yet many schools and educational systems are not making enough use of the material and their insights. The article reviews evidence of…

Lost Identity: The Assimilation of Digital Libraries into the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lagoze, Carl Jay

2010-01-01

The idea of Digital Libraries emerged in the early 1990s from a vision of a "library of the future", without walls and open 24 hours a day. These digital libraries would leverage the substantial investments of federal funding in the Internet and advanced computing for the benefit of the entire population. The world's knowledge would be a key press…

Personal Meanings of Learning in the Process of Formation of Students' Subjectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalatskaya, Natalia N.; Selivanova, Olga G.; Ilesanmi, Ruth A.

2016-01-01

The urgency of the presented study is stipulated by the current situation in the education system: learning has lost its meaning for a significant number of students; knowledge is external in relation to their real life. However, a lot of specialists view education as a source of personal development of a student, finding for himself, disclosure…

[Research and cure: knowledge and prophylaxis of endemic goiter in Argentina (1916-1958).].

PubMed

Feld, Adriana; Busala, Analía E

2010-01-01

The present paper focuses on the reconstruction of the historical circumstances of knowledge production as well as and the debates about endemic goiter disease during the period 1916-1955 in Argentina. Taking into account the social, political and material dimensions, this text explores the re-signification of scientific and medical knowledge oriented to the prevention and health treatment, through the positioning of several social actors engaged all along the period, and the diverse historical and institutional contexts.

Image reconstruction by domain-transform manifold learning.

PubMed

Zhu, Bo; Liu, Jeremiah Z; Cauley, Stephen F; Rosen, Bruce R; Rosen, Matthew S

2018-03-21

Image reconstruction is essential for imaging applications across the physical and life sciences, including optical and radar systems, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound imaging and radio astronomy. During image acquisition, the sensor encodes an intermediate representation of an object in the sensor domain, which is subsequently reconstructed into an image by an inversion of the encoding function. Image reconstruction is challenging because analytic knowledge of the exact inverse transform may not exist a priori, especially in the presence of sensor non-idealities and noise. Thus, the standard reconstruction approach involves approximating the inverse function with multiple ad hoc stages in a signal processing chain, the composition of which depends on the details of each acquisition strategy, and often requires expert parameter tuning to optimize reconstruction performance. Here we present a unified framework for image reconstruction-automated transform by manifold approximation (AUTOMAP)-which recasts image reconstruction as a data-driven supervised learning task that allows a mapping between the sensor and the image domain to emerge from an appropriate corpus of training data. We implement AUTOMAP with a deep neural network and exhibit its flexibility in learning reconstruction transforms for various magnetic resonance imaging acquisition strategies, using the same network architecture and hyperparameters. We further demonstrate that manifold learning during training results in sparse representations of domain transforms along low-dimensional data manifolds, and observe superior immunity to noise and a reduction in reconstruction artefacts compared with conventional handcrafted reconstruction methods. In addition to improving the reconstruction performance of existing acquisition methodologies, we anticipate that AUTOMAP and other learned reconstruction approaches will accelerate the development of new acquisition strategies across imaging modalities.

SPECT reconstruction using DCT-induced tight framelet regularization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiahan; Li, Si; Xu, Yuesheng; Schmidtlein, C. R.; Lipson, Edward D.; Feiglin, David H.; Krol, Andrzej

2015-03-01

Wavelet transforms have been successfully applied in many fields of image processing. Yet, to our knowledge, they have never been directly incorporated to the objective function in Emission Computed Tomography (ECT) image reconstruction. Our aim has been to investigate if the ℓ1-norm of non-decimated discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients of the estimated radiotracer distribution could be effectively used as the regularization term for the penalized-likelihood (PL) reconstruction, where a regularizer is used to enforce the image smoothness in the reconstruction. In this study, the ℓ1-norm of 2D DCT wavelet decomposition was used as a regularization term. The Preconditioned Alternating Projection Algorithm (PAPA), which we proposed in earlier work to solve penalized likelihood (PL) reconstruction with non-differentiable regularizers, was used to solve this optimization problem. The DCT wavelet decompositions were performed on the transaxial reconstructed images. We reconstructed Monte Carlo simulated SPECT data obtained for a numerical phantom with Gaussian blobs as hot lesions and with a warm random lumpy background. Reconstructed images using the proposed method exhibited better noise suppression and improved lesion conspicuity, compared with images reconstructed using expectation maximization (EM) algorithm with Gaussian post filter (GPF). Also, the mean square error (MSE) was smaller, compared with EM-GPF. A critical and challenging aspect of this method was selection of optimal parameters. In summary, our numerical experiments demonstrated that the ℓ1-norm of discrete cosine transform (DCT) wavelet frame transform DCT regularizer shows promise for SPECT image reconstruction using PAPA method.

Can artificial parthenogenesis sidestep ethical pitfalls in human therapeutic cloning? An historical perspective

PubMed Central

Fangerau, H

2005-01-01

The aim of regenerative medicine is to reconstruct tissue that has been lost or pathologically altered. Therapeutic cloning seems to offer a method of achieving this aim; however, the ethical debate surrounding human therapeutic cloning is highly controversial. Artificial parthenogenesis—obtaining embryos from unfertilised eggs—seems to offer a way to sidestep these ethical pitfalls. Jacques Loeb (1859–1924), the founding father of artificial parthogenesis, faced negative public opinion when he published his research in 1899. His research, the public's response to his findings, and his ethical foundations serve as an historical argument both for the communication of science and compromise in biological research. PMID:16319240

Description of textures by a structural analysis.

PubMed

Tomita, F; Shirai, Y; Tsuji, S

1982-02-01

A structural analysis system for describing natural textures is introduced. The analyzer automatically extracts the texture elements in an input image, measures their properties, classifies them into some distinctive classes (one ``ground'' class and some ``figure'' classes), and computes the distributions of the gray level, the shape, and the placement of the texture elements in each class. These descriptions are used for classification of texture images. An analysis-by-synthesis method for evaluating texture analyzers is also presented. We propose a synthesizer which generates a texture image based on the descriptions. By comparing the reconstructed image with the original one, we can see what information is preserved and what is lost in the descriptions.

Post-mortem re-cloning of a transgenic red fluorescent protein dog

PubMed Central

Hong, So Gun; Koo, Ok Jae; Oh, Hyun Ju; Park, Jung Eun; Kim, Minjung; Kim, Geon-A; Park, Eun Jung; Jang, Goo

2011-01-01

Recently, the world's first transgenic dogs were produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, cellular senescence is a major limiting factor for producing more advanced transgenic dogs. To overcome this obstacle, we rejuvenated transgenic cells using a re-cloning technique. Fibroblasts from post-mortem red fluorescent protein (RFP) dog were reconstructed with in vivo matured oocytes and transferred into 10 surrogate dogs. One puppy was produced and confirmed as a re-cloned dog. Although the puppy was lost during birth, we successfully established a rejuvenated fibroblast cell line from this animal. The cell line was found to stably express RFP and is ready for additional genetic modification. PMID:22122908

Coherent diffraction surface imaging in reflection geometry.

PubMed

Marathe, Shashidhara; Kim, S S; Kim, S N; Kim, Chan; Kang, H C; Nickles, P V; Noh, D Y

2010-03-29

We present a reflection based coherent diffraction imaging method which can be used to reconstruct a non periodic surface image from a diffraction amplitude measured in reflection geometry. Using a He-Ne laser, we demonstrated that a surface image can be reconstructed solely from the reflected intensity from a surface without relying on any prior knowledge of the sample object or the object support. The reconstructed phase image of the exit wave is particularly interesting since it can be used to obtain quantitative information of the surface depth profile or the phase change during the reflection process. We believe that this work will broaden the application areas of coherent diffraction imaging techniques using light sources with limited penetration depth.

Reconstructing (super)trees from data sets with missing distances: not all is lost.

PubMed

Kettleborough, George; Dicks, Jo; Roberts, Ian N; Huber, Katharina T

2015-06-01

The wealth of phylogenetic information accumulated over many decades of biological research, coupled with recent technological advances in molecular sequence generation, presents significant opportunities for researchers to investigate relationships across and within the kingdoms of life. However, to make best use of this data wealth, several problems must first be overcome. One key problem is finding effective strategies to deal with missing data. Here, we introduce Lasso, a novel heuristic approach for reconstructing rooted phylogenetic trees from distance matrices with missing values, for data sets where a molecular clock may be assumed. Contrary to other phylogenetic methods on partial data sets, Lasso possesses desirable properties such as its reconstructed trees being both unique and edge-weighted. These properties are achieved by Lasso restricting its leaf set to a large subset of all possible taxa, which in many practical situations is the entire taxa set. Furthermore, the Lasso approach is distance-based, rendering it very fast to run and suitable for data sets of all sizes, including large data sets such as those generated by modern Next Generation Sequencing technologies. To better understand the performance of Lasso, we assessed it by means of artificial and real biological data sets, showing its effectiveness in the presence of missing data. Furthermore, by formulating the supermatrix problem as a particular case of the missing data problem, we assessed Lasso's ability to reconstruct supertrees. We demonstrate that, although not specifically designed for such a purpose, Lasso performs better than or comparably with five leading supertree algorithms on a challenging biological data set. Finally, we make freely available a software implementation of Lasso so that researchers may, for the first time, perform both rooted tree and supertree reconstruction with branch lengths on their own partial data sets. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Knowledge about nutrition, eating habits and weight reduction intervention among methadone maintenance treatment patients.

PubMed

Sason, Anat; Adelson, Miriam; Herzman-Harari, Sarit; Peles, Einat

2018-03-01

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients are often under-nourished and overweight. The impact of a nutrition intervention program to improve knowledge about healthy food habits and losing weight was studied. Patients were screened for knowledge about nutrition and body mass index (BMI). Those with a low knowledge score or a BMI ≥26 (n=89) were randomly divided into either intervention (two lectures on healthy nutrition followed by weight monitoring over 6weeks), or controls (weighed at baseline, post-lectures and at study closure). The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), eating behavior rating, and nutrition knowledge questionnaires were used. Knowledge and food habit scores improved in the intervention group (28.4±4.3, 37.2±3.1, 32.5±3.9 pre-, post- and 6-weeks post-lectures, respectively), with no change in the controls (28.6±3.4, 28.2±4.9, 28.1±5.3, repeated measured p(time)=0.001, p(group)=0.001, p(interaction)=0.001); food habit (intervention: 35.0±7.0, 38.4±5.2, 37.5±5.3, controls: 34.0±6.9, 34.7±6.9, 34.6±7.4, p(time)=0.001, p(group)=0.04, p(interaction)=0.06). BMI scores however did not change and were similar in both groups (p=0.9). Of all patients, 10.1% met the criteria of food addiction according to the YFAS, 40.4% lost weight and 28% gained weight, with no group differences. There were more symptoms of food addiction among the patients who gained weight vs. those who lost weight (3.7±2.0 vs. 2.6±1.8, respectively, p=0.04). We concluded that although weight loss was not observed, intervention is recommended for improving knowledge about nutrition and for fostering healthy eating habits with the aim of reducing diet-related morbidity among all MMT patients. Longitudinal program combined with physical activity is needed to study if may lead to weight loss. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tectonic Structure, Solid Earth and Cryosphere Interactions in the Casey-Davis Region of East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reading, A. M.; King, M. A.; Halpin, J.; Whittaker, J. M.; White, D.; Cook, S.; Staal, T.

2016-12-01

The region of inland East Antarctica between Casey and Davis stations (Wilkes Land to Princess Elizabeth Land) is one of the least investigated parts of the continent with respect to its tectonic and solid Earth structure. This is difficult to estimate because the conjugate margin in plate reconstructions has been lost in the collision between India and Eurasia. The region is also host to some of the greatest uncertainties in Antarctica in glacial-isostatic adjustment observations and models, and where the contribution of heat from underlying rocks is difficult to estimate due to the limited available rock samples. We investigate the solid Earth structure and its interactions with the East Antarctic ice sheet through a new campaign including GPS and seismic instrument deployments, and field measurements to constrain ice retreat history. This presentation provides an overview of the new, multi-year Casey-Davis Glacial Isostatic Adjustment campaign including station locations and deployment progress. The campaign is being supported by Australian Antarctic Division and uses a combination of fixed-wing and helicopter support to access station locations in both coastal locations and the continental interior. A primary long-term objective of the campaign is to remove bias from estimates of East Antarctica's contribution to past and present sea level changes. We also seek to better constrain the geothermal influences on the East Antarctic ice sheet. The GPS determinations of vertical plate motion and the detailed seismic structure await data downloads in future field seasons, however, we are able to present new findings from preliminary studies. We show candidate ancient tectonic reconstructions for this part of East Antarctica and make use of our knowledge of structure of continental regions with a similar evolution to infer the likely structures for the Casey-Davis region. We add these new constraints to the structure currently inferred from a very small number of insitu measurements and sparse remote sensing data and compile the diverse information using a near-comprehensive GIS for the current time. We also outline the interplay between uncertainties on the structure of the crust, lithosphere and upper mantle and the likely impact on glacial-isostatic and geothermal usage of solid Earth information.

The fear factor: drivers and barriers to follow-up screening for human papillomavirus-related anal cancer in men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Truesdale, M D; Goldstone, S E

2010-07-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related anal cancer incidence is rising in men who have sex with men (MSM). Effective screening strategies exist, but many patients are lost to follow-up (LTF). We studied factors impacting screening compliance to recommended annual screening visits. Retrospective chart review identified MSM with anal dysplasia. MSM were grouped as regular screeners (regular to follow-up [RF]) (≥1 visit/year), lost to follow-up (LTF) (>1 year since previous screening) and LTF who then returned for screening (lost came back [LCB]). From June 2007 to March 2008, subjects completed a questionnaire in-person at the time of screening or via telephone (LTF). Questionnaires were completed after anal dysplasia diagnosis. One hundred and ninety-five MSM were enrolled (96 RF, 50 LTF and 49 LCB). RF were compliant for 4.8 years; LTF were lost for 2.3 years. LCB were previously lost for 5.6 years before returning. Mean knowledge score of screening procedures was larger in RF versus LTF (P < 0.001). MSM with more sexual partners in the past six months were more likely to be LCB versus LTF (P = 0.05). RF were more likely to describe their HPV diagnosis as 'upsetting' (P = 0.003). RF were more likely driven by physical symptoms versus LTF (P = 0.002). MSM with high-grade intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) were more likely to be RF versus those with low-grade intraepithelial lesions (P = 0.001. Positive predictors for screening compliance include an upsetting experience during the HPV diagnosis, physical symptoms driving the initial visit and HSIL. Engaging patients in a firm, salient approach may facilitate follow-up compliance.

Combined Fluoroscopic and Arthroscopic Detection and Removal of a Foreign Body Lost During Elective Shoulder Arthroscopy: A Case Report.

PubMed

Schmiddem, Uli; Hawi, N; Suero, E M; Meller, R

2017-01-01

We report a case of a lost metal platelet from a radiofrequency ablation probe (VAPR VUE Radiofrequency System, Cool Pulse 90, DePuy, Synthes, Switzerland) in the shoulder joint during elective arthroscopic cuff repair. To the best of our knowledge, this kind of an incident during elective arthroscopy has not been described in the literature so far. In addition, we present an algorithm on how to deal with such an incident. A 69-year-old woman underwent an arthroscopic subacromial decompression and rotator cuff repair for a torn supraspinatus tendon. While performing the subacromial decompression and after swapping the portals from lateral to posterior, the metal platelet of the electrocautery device got detached from the instrument and lost in the operation field. Several attempts to visualize the lost platelet with the camera failed. Finally, intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging was used to detect the platelet. To confirm the definitive whereabouts of the platelet, two spinal needles were positioned perpendicular to another under x-ray control, both pointing at the missing platelet. After determining the exact location, the platelet could finally be visualized with the camera and removed. Due to this incident, the operation time was extended extensively, and the patient as well as the theatre team was exposed to an unnecessary amount of radiation. This report indicates that an extraordinary incident such as the detachment of a component of the arthroscopic equipment during surgery is possible and should be kept in mind by the surgeon. Therefore, we believe that it is essential to perform a test of integrity at least at the end of every operation. In addition, we are presenting an algorithm on how to deal with the situation of a lost foreign body during arthroscopy, which can be applied to any joint.

Nursing knowledge and beliefs regarding patient-controlled oral analgesia (PCOA).

PubMed

Sawhney, Monakshi; Maeda, Eri

2013-12-01

Patient-controlled oral analgesia (PCOA) allows patients to self-administer oral opioids for pain management. Advantages of PCOA include improved pain control with lower doses of opioids, decreased length of stay, increased patient satisfaction, and better functional outcomes than conventional nurse-administered oral analgesia. Sucessful PCOA programs are well described in the literature. However, nurses have concerns about allowing patients to self-administer opioids. The purpose of this study was to identify nurses' knowledge and beliefs regarding PCOA. Nurses who work at the Holland Orthopaedic and Arthritic Centre were asked to complete a survey exploring their beliefs regarding PCOA. The nurses were asked to complete the same survey twice: before an education program in February 2010, and 3 months after implementation of PCOA in June 2010. In February 2010, 74 nurses and in June 2010, 32 nurses participated in the survey. Some nurses (18%) had previous experience with PCOA. At both the pre-education and the postimplementation times, nurses thought that the PCOA program reduced wait times for analgesics and improved patient satisfaction with pain management. Before program implementation, negative beliefs included that patients on the PCOA program would lose their analgesics, would give their analgesics to visitors or other patients, and were at risk for having their analgesics stolen and that the nurse was liable if the patient's analgesics were lost or stolen. After program implementation, no nurse believed that patients would lose their analgesics or give their analgesics to visitors or other patients or that they were liable for lost or stolen analgesics. However, nurses continued to think that patients were at risk for having their analgesics stolen. We found that nurses were concerned that analgesics could be lost, misused, or stolen and that they would be liable for lost analgesics. These findings were consistent with literature discussing patients' outcomes regarding PCOA. However, after education and experience these concerns decreased or resolved. It is important to address these concerns before PCOA program implementation. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Image reconstruction by domain-transform manifold learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Bo; Liu, Jeremiah Z.; Cauley, Stephen F.; Rosen, Bruce R.; Rosen, Matthew S.

2018-03-01

Image reconstruction is essential for imaging applications across the physical and life sciences, including optical and radar systems, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray computed tomography, positron emission tomography, ultrasound imaging and radio astronomy. During image acquisition, the sensor encodes an intermediate representation of an object in the sensor domain, which is subsequently reconstructed into an image by an inversion of the encoding function. Image reconstruction is challenging because analytic knowledge of the exact inverse transform may not exist a priori, especially in the presence of sensor non-idealities and noise. Thus, the standard reconstruction approach involves approximating the inverse function with multiple ad hoc stages in a signal processing chain, the composition of which depends on the details of each acquisition strategy, and often requires expert parameter tuning to optimize reconstruction performance. Here we present a unified framework for image reconstruction—automated transform by manifold approximation (AUTOMAP)—which recasts image reconstruction as a data-driven supervised learning task that allows a mapping between the sensor and the image domain to emerge from an appropriate corpus of training data. We implement AUTOMAP with a deep neural network and exhibit its flexibility in learning reconstruction transforms for various magnetic resonance imaging acquisition strategies, using the same network architecture and hyperparameters. We further demonstrate that manifold learning during training results in sparse representations of domain transforms along low-dimensional data manifolds, and observe superior immunity to noise and a reduction in reconstruction artefacts compared with conventional handcrafted reconstruction methods. In addition to improving the reconstruction performance of existing acquisition methodologies, we anticipate that AUTOMAP and other learned reconstruction approaches will accelerate the development of new acquisition strategies across imaging modalities.

A space-frequency multiplicative regularization for force reconstruction problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aucejo, M.; De Smet, O.

2018-05-01

Dynamic forces reconstruction from vibration data is an ill-posed inverse problem. A standard approach to stabilize the reconstruction consists in using some prior information on the quantities to identify. This is generally done by including in the formulation of the inverse problem a regularization term as an additive or a multiplicative constraint. In the present article, a space-frequency multiplicative regularization is developed to identify mechanical forces acting on a structure. The proposed regularization strategy takes advantage of one's prior knowledge of the nature and the location of excitation sources, as well as that of their spectral contents. Furthermore, it has the merit to be free from the preliminary definition of any regularization parameter. The validity of the proposed regularization procedure is assessed numerically and experimentally. It is more particularly pointed out that properly exploiting the space-frequency characteristics of the excitation field to identify can improve the quality of the force reconstruction.

Panorama of Reconstruction of Skull Base Defects: From Traditional Open to Endonasal Endoscopic Approaches, from Free Grafts to Microvascular Flaps

PubMed Central

Reyes, Camilo; Mason, Eric; Solares, C. Arturo

2014-01-01

Introduction A substantial body of literature has been devoted to the distinct characteristics and surgical options to repair the skull base. However, the skull base is an anatomically challenging location that requires a three-dimensional reconstruction approach. Furthermore, advances in endoscopic skull base surgery encompass a wide range of surgical pathology, from benign tumors to sinonasal cancer. This has resulted in the creation of wide defects that yield a new challenge in skull base reconstruction. Progress in technology and imaging has made this approach an internationally accepted method to repair these defects. Objectives Discuss historical developments and flaps available for skull base reconstruction. Data Synthesis Free grafts in skull base reconstruction are a viable option in small defects and low-flow leaks. Vascularized flaps pose a distinct advantage in large defects and high-flow leaks. When open techniques are used, free flap reconstruction techniques are often necessary to repair large entry wound defects. Conclusions Reconstruction of skull base defects requires a thorough knowledge of surgical anatomy, disease, and patient risk factors associated with high-flow cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Various reconstruction techniques are available, from free tissue grafting to vascularized flaps. Possible complications that can befall after these procedures need to be considered. Although endonasal techniques are being used with increasing frequency, open techniques are still necessary in selected cases. PMID:25992142

A tale of two arcs? Plate tectonics of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) arc using subducted slab constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, J. E.; Suppe, J.; Renqi, L.; Kanda, R. V. S.

2014-12-01

Published plate reconstructions typically show the Izu-Bonin Marianas arc (IBM) forming as a result of long-lived ~50 Ma Pacific subduction beneath the Philippine Sea. These reconstructions rely on the critical assumption that the Philippine Sea was continuously coupled to the Pacific during the lifetime of the IBM arc. Because of this assumption, significant (up to 1500 km) Pacific trench retreat is required to accommodate the 2000 km of Philippine Sea/IBM northward motion since the Eocene that is constrained by paleomagnetic data. In this study, we have mapped subducted slabs of mantle lithosphere from MITP08 global seismic tomography (Li et al., 2008) and restored them to a model Earth surface to constrain plate tectonic reconstructions. Here we present two subducted slab constraints that call into question current IBM arc reconstructions: 1) The northern and central Marianas slabs form a sub-vertical 'slab wall' down to maximum 1500 km depths in the lower mantle. This slab geometry is best explained by a near-stationary Marianas trench that has remained +/- 250 km E-W of its present-day position since ~45 Ma, and does not support any significant Pacific slab retreat. 2) A vanished ocean is revealed by an extensive swath of sub-horizontal slabs at 700 to 1000 km depths in the lower mantle below present-day Philippine Sea to Papua New Guinea. We call this vanished ocean the 'East Asian Sea'. When placed in an Eocene plate reconstruction, the East Asian Sea fits west of the reconstructed Marianas Pacific trench position and north of the Philippine Sea plate. This implies that the Philippine Sea and Pacific were not adjacent at IBM initiation, but were in fact separated by a lost ocean. Here we propose a new IBM arc reconstruction constrained by subducted slabs mapped under East Asia. At ~50 Ma, the present-day IBM arc initiated at equatorial latitudes from East Asian Sea subduction below the Philippine Sea. A separate arc was formed from Pacific subduction below the East Asian Sea. The Philippine Sea plate moved northwards, overrunning the East Asian Sea and the two arcs collided between 15 to 20 Ma. From 15 Ma to the present, IBM arc magmatism was produced by Pacific subduction beneath the Philippine Sea.

Fast dictionary-based reconstruction for diffusion spectrum imaging.

PubMed

Bilgic, Berkin; Chatnuntawech, Itthi; Setsompop, Kawin; Cauley, Stephen F; Yendiki, Anastasia; Wald, Lawrence L; Adalsteinsson, Elfar

2013-11-01

Diffusion spectrum imaging reveals detailed local diffusion properties at the expense of substantially long imaging times. It is possible to accelerate acquisition by undersampling in q-space, followed by image reconstruction that exploits prior knowledge on the diffusion probability density functions (pdfs). Previously proposed methods impose this prior in the form of sparsity under wavelet and total variation transforms, or under adaptive dictionaries that are trained on example datasets to maximize the sparsity of the representation. These compressed sensing (CS) methods require full-brain processing times on the order of hours using MATLAB running on a workstation. This work presents two dictionary-based reconstruction techniques that use analytical solutions, and are two orders of magnitude faster than the previously proposed dictionary-based CS approach. The first method generates a dictionary from the training data using principal component analysis (PCA), and performs the reconstruction in the PCA space. The second proposed method applies reconstruction using pseudoinverse with Tikhonov regularization with respect to a dictionary. This dictionary can either be obtained using the K-SVD algorithm, or it can simply be the training dataset of pdfs without any training. All of the proposed methods achieve reconstruction times on the order of seconds per imaging slice, and have reconstruction quality comparable to that of dictionary-based CS algorithm.

Texture-preserved penalized weighted least-squares reconstruction of low-dose CT image via image segmentation and high-order MRF modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Hao; Zhang, Hao; Wei, Xinzhou; Moore, William; Liang, Zhengrong

2016-03-01

In this paper, we proposed a low-dose computed tomography (LdCT) image reconstruction method with the help of prior knowledge learning from previous high-quality or normal-dose CT (NdCT) scans. The well-established statistical penalized weighted least squares (PWLS) algorithm was adopted for image reconstruction, where the penalty term was formulated by a texture-based Gaussian Markov random field (gMRF) model. The NdCT scan was firstly segmented into different tissue types by a feature vector quantization (FVQ) approach. Then for each tissue type, a set of tissue-specific coefficients for the gMRF penalty was statistically learnt from the NdCT image via multiple-linear regression analysis. We also proposed a scheme to adaptively select the order of gMRF model for coefficients prediction. The tissue-specific gMRF patterns learnt from the NdCT image were finally used to form an adaptive MRF penalty for the PWLS reconstruction of LdCT image. The proposed texture-adaptive PWLS image reconstruction algorithm was shown to be more effective to preserve image textures than the conventional PWLS image reconstruction algorithm, and we further demonstrated the gain of high-order MRF modeling for texture-preserved LdCT PWLS image reconstruction.

LORAKS Makes Better SENSE: Phase-Constrained Partial Fourier SENSE Reconstruction without Phase Calibration

PubMed Central

Kim, Tae Hyung; Setsompop, Kawin; Haldar, Justin P.

2016-01-01

Purpose Parallel imaging and partial Fourier acquisition are two classical approaches for accelerated MRI. Methods that combine these approaches often rely on prior knowledge of the image phase, but the need to obtain this prior information can place practical restrictions on the data acquisition strategy. In this work, we propose and evaluate SENSE-LORAKS, which enables combined parallel imaging and partial Fourier reconstruction without requiring prior phase information. Theory and Methods The proposed formulation is based on combining the classical SENSE model for parallel imaging data with the more recent LORAKS framework for MR image reconstruction using low-rank matrix modeling. Previous LORAKS-based methods have successfully enabled calibrationless partial Fourier parallel MRI reconstruction, but have been most successful with nonuniform sampling strategies that may be hard to implement for certain applications. By combining LORAKS with SENSE, we enable highly-accelerated partial Fourier MRI reconstruction for a broader range of sampling trajectories, including widely-used calibrationless uniformly-undersampled trajectories. Results Our empirical results with retrospectively undersampled datasets indicate that when SENSE-LORAKS reconstruction is combined with an appropriate k-space sampling trajectory, it can provide substantially better image quality at high-acceleration rates relative to existing state-of-the-art reconstruction approaches. Conclusion The SENSE-LORAKS framework provides promising new opportunities for highly-accelerated MRI. PMID:27037836

TVR-DART: A More Robust Algorithm for Discrete Tomography From Limited Projection Data With Automated Gray Value Estimation.

PubMed

Xiaodong Zhuge; Palenstijn, Willem Jan; Batenburg, Kees Joost

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a novel iterative reconstruction algorithm for discrete tomography (DT) named total variation regularized discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (TVR-DART) with automated gray value estimation. This algorithm is more robust and automated than the original DART algorithm, and is aimed at imaging of objects consisting of only a few different material compositions, each corresponding to a different gray value in the reconstruction. By exploiting two types of prior knowledge of the scanned object simultaneously, TVR-DART solves the discrete reconstruction problem within an optimization framework inspired by compressive sensing to steer the current reconstruction toward a solution with the specified number of discrete gray values. The gray values and the thresholds are estimated as the reconstruction improves through iterations. Extensive experiments from simulated data, experimental μCT, and electron tomography data sets show that TVR-DART is capable of providing more accurate reconstruction than existing algorithms under noisy conditions from a small number of projection images and/or from a small angular range. Furthermore, the new algorithm requires less effort on parameter tuning compared with the original DART algorithm. With TVR-DART, we aim to provide the tomography society with an easy-to-use and robust algorithm for DT.

Primary Fat Grafting to the Pectoralis Muscle during Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction.

PubMed

Niddam, Jeremy; Vidal, Luciano; Hersant, Barbara; Meningaud, Jean Paul

2016-11-01

Latissimus dorsi flap is one of the best options for immediate and delayed breast reconstruction. However, this technique is limited by the tissue volume provided by the flap. To improve breast volume while reducing complications, fat grafting is now very often used in addition to latissimus dorsi flap. To the best of our knowledge, fat grafting was always performed as a second-line surgery, at least a few months after the flap procedure. We aimed to report our experience with an associated breast reconstruction technique combining musculocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap with intrapectoral lipofilling for totally autologous breast reconstruction. Between September 2014 and January 2015, 20 patients underwent this technique for unilateral autologous breast reconstruction (14 delayed and 6 immediate breast reconstructions). A mean harvested fat volume of 278 ml (range: 190-350 ml) and a mean injected fat volume of 228 ml (range: 170-280 ml) were used. None of the patients experienced complications, such as flap necrosis, breast skin necrosis, hematomas, or infection. One of the patients developed a seroma, which was treated with 3 drainage punctions. Only 2 patients underwent delayed fat grafting procedure. Totally autologous breast reconstruction combining latissimus dorsi flap and intrapectoral fat grafting in the same procedure is a new technique allowing increased breast volume in a single surgery.

Uncut Roux-en-Y reconstruction after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Huang, Yuqin; Wang, Sen; Shi, Youquan; Tang, Dong; Wang, Wei; Chong, Yang; Zhou, Huaicheng; Xiong, Qingquan; Wang, Jie; Wang, Daorong

2016-12-01

Uncut Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is a modification of the Billroth II procedure with Braun anastomosis, in which a jejunal occlusion is fashioned to avoid the Roux Stasis Syndrome. This review aimed to summarize the current knowledge about the uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis operation, so that surgeons may be able to make informed decisions about its clinical application. Additionally, we hope that our findings will guide future research on this topic. Areas covered: The original uncut technique was associated with dehiscence or recanalization of the jejunal occlusion, and was therefore not widely applied. However, with recent improvements in the method of jejunal occlusion, the uncut Roux-en-Y reconstruction may be an appropriate alternative for digestive tract reconstruction after distal gastrectomy. This review summarizes the basic research on and clinical applications of uncut Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy from the following several aspects: origin of the uncut reconstruction technique, rationale for uncut reconstruction based on data from animal experiments, clinical results of the uncut reconstruction, recanalization and its countermeasures, and so on. Expert commentary: The uncut Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is a controversial yet promising method of gastrointestinal reconstruction after distal gastrectomy. Prospective randomized controlled trials and long-term follow-up outcomes are required to support the modified technique in the future.

Fast Dictionary-Based Reconstruction for Diffusion Spectrum Imaging

PubMed Central

Bilgic, Berkin; Chatnuntawech, Itthi; Setsompop, Kawin; Cauley, Stephen F.; Yendiki, Anastasia; Wald, Lawrence L.; Adalsteinsson, Elfar

2015-01-01

Diffusion Spectrum Imaging (DSI) reveals detailed local diffusion properties at the expense of substantially long imaging times. It is possible to accelerate acquisition by undersampling in q-space, followed by image reconstruction that exploits prior knowledge on the diffusion probability density functions (pdfs). Previously proposed methods impose this prior in the form of sparsity under wavelet and total variation (TV) transforms, or under adaptive dictionaries that are trained on example datasets to maximize the sparsity of the representation. These compressed sensing (CS) methods require full-brain processing times on the order of hours using Matlab running on a workstation. This work presents two dictionary-based reconstruction techniques that use analytical solutions, and are two orders of magnitude faster than the previously proposed dictionary-based CS approach. The first method generates a dictionary from the training data using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and performs the reconstruction in the PCA space. The second proposed method applies reconstruction using pseudoinverse with Tikhonov regularization with respect to a dictionary. This dictionary can either be obtained using the K-SVD algorithm, or it can simply be the training dataset of pdfs without any training. All of the proposed methods achieve reconstruction times on the order of seconds per imaging slice, and have reconstruction quality comparable to that of dictionary-based CS algorithm. PMID:23846466

Body Knowledge in Brain-Damaged Children: A Double-Dissociation in Self and Other's Body Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frassinetti, Francesca; Fiori, Simona; D'Angelo, Valentina; Magnani, Barbara; Guzzetta, Andrea; Brizzolara, Daniela; Cioni, Giovanni

2012-01-01

Bodies are important element for self-recognition. In this respect, in adults it has been recently shown a self vs other advantage when small parts of the subjects' body are visible. This advantage is lost following a right brain lesion underlying a role of the right hemisphere in self body-parts processing. In order to investigate the bodily-self…

Just like Starting over: Advice for Faculty to Make the New Semester's Teaching Endure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halfond, Jay A.

2012-01-01

Faculty often think of their job as transmitting knowledge, from their brains into those of the students, as if content were just concrete matter being passed along. The relationship between the teacher and student is a subtle one--won or lost at the onset of the semester. Too often, faculty waste their precious first encounter by filling that…

Knowledge and Use of Low Vision Services Among Persons with Age-Related Macular Degeneration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casten, Robin J.; Maloney, Eileen K.; Rovner, Barry W.

2005-01-01

Visual impairment (blindness or low vision) is a leading cause of disability among older adults and is most often due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It is predicted that 2.95 million people will have AMD by 2020 (Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group, 2004). Unfortunately, there is no cure for AMD, nor can lost vision be restored.…

Historical oak woodland detected through Armillaria mellea damage in fruit orchards

Treesearch

Alan K. Brown

2002-01-01

The wholesale destruction of oak woodland by North American settlers in the Santa Clara Valley is attested in early county histories and other sources. Early plats and field notes by government and private surveyors, which are the most useful kind of sources as to the distribution and extent of the lost oak groves, still leave serious gaps in our knowledge. A further...

A community effort towards a knowledge-base and mathematical model of the human pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium LT2.

PubMed

Thiele, Ines; Hyduke, Daniel R; Steeb, Benjamin; Fankam, Guy; Allen, Douglas K; Bazzani, Susanna; Charusanti, Pep; Chen, Feng-Chi; Fleming, Ronan M T; Hsiung, Chao A; De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C J; Liao, Yu-Chieh; Marchal, Kathleen; Mo, Monica L; Özdemir, Emre; Raghunathan, Anu; Reed, Jennifer L; Shin, Sook-il; Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Sara; Steinmann, Jonas; Sudarsan, Suresh; Swainston, Neil; Thijs, Inge M; Zengler, Karsten; Palsson, Bernhard O; Adkins, Joshua N; Bumann, Dirk

2011-01-18

Metabolic reconstructions (MRs) are common denominators in systems biology and represent biochemical, genetic, and genomic (BiGG) knowledge-bases for target organisms by capturing currently available information in a consistent, structured manner. Salmonella enterica subspecies I serovar Typhimurium is a human pathogen, causes various diseases and its increasing antibiotic resistance poses a public health problem. Here, we describe a community-driven effort, in which more than 20 experts in S. Typhimurium biology and systems biology collaborated to reconcile and expand the S. Typhimurium BiGG knowledge-base. The consensus MR was obtained starting from two independently developed MRs for S. Typhimurium. Key results of this reconstruction jamboree include i) development and implementation of a community-based workflow for MR annotation and reconciliation; ii) incorporation of thermodynamic information; and iii) use of the consensus MR to identify potential multi-target drug therapy approaches. Taken together, with the growing number of parallel MRs a structured, community-driven approach will be necessary to maximize quality while increasing adoption of MRs in experimental design and interpretation.

A community effort towards a knowledge-base and mathematical model of the human pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium LT2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thiele, Ines; Hyduke, Daniel R.; Steeb, Benjamin

2011-01-01

Metabolic reconstructions (MRs) are common denominators in systems biology and represent biochemical, genetic, and genomic (BiGG) knowledge-bases for target organisms by capturing currently available information in a consistent, structured manner. Salmonella enterica subspecies I serovar Typhimurium is a human pathogen, causes various diseases and its increasing antibiotic resistance poses a public health problem. Here, we describe a community-driven effort, in which more than 20 experts in S. Typhimurium biology and systems biology collaborated to reconcile and expand the S. Typhimurium BiGG knowledge-base. The consensus MR was obtained starting from two independently developed MRs for S. Typhimurium. Key results of thismore » reconstruction jamboree include i) development and implementation of a community-based workflow for MR annotation and reconciliation; ii) incorporation of thermodynamic information; and iii) use of the consensus MR to identify potential multi-target drug therapy approaches. Finally, taken together, with the growing number of parallel MRs a structured, community-driven approach will be necessary to maximize quality while increasing adoption of MRs in experimental design and interpretation.« less

Iterative reconstruction of volumetric particle distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieneke, Bernhard

2013-02-01

For tracking the motion of illuminated particles in space and time several volumetric flow measurement techniques are available like 3D-particle tracking velocimetry (3D-PTV) recording images from typically three to four viewing directions. For higher seeding densities and the same experimental setup, tomographic PIV (Tomo-PIV) reconstructs voxel intensities using an iterative tomographic reconstruction algorithm (e.g. multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique, MART) followed by cross-correlation of sub-volumes computing instantaneous 3D flow fields on a regular grid. A novel hybrid algorithm is proposed here that similar to MART iteratively reconstructs 3D-particle locations by comparing the recorded images with the projections calculated from the particle distribution in the volume. But like 3D-PTV, particles are represented by 3D-positions instead of voxel-based intensity blobs as in MART. Detailed knowledge of the optical transfer function and the particle image shape is mandatory, which may differ for different positions in the volume and for each camera. Using synthetic data it is shown that this method is capable of reconstructing densely seeded flows up to about 0.05 ppp with similar accuracy as Tomo-PIV. Finally the method is validated with experimental data.

A framework for directional and higher-order reconstruction in photoacoustic tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boink, Yoeri E.; Lagerwerf, Marinus J.; Steenbergen, Wiendelt; van Gils, Stephan A.; Manohar, Srirang; Brune, Christoph

2018-02-01

Photoacoustic tomography is a hybrid imaging technique that combines high optical tissue contrast with high ultrasound resolution. Direct reconstruction methods such as filtered back-projection, time reversal and least squares suffer from curved line artefacts and blurring, especially in the case of limited angles or strong noise. In recent years, there has been great interest in regularised iterative methods. These methods employ prior knowledge of the image to provide higher quality reconstructions. However, easy comparisons between regularisers and their properties are limited, since many tomography implementations heavily rely on the specific regulariser chosen. To overcome this bottleneck, we present a modular reconstruction framework for photoacoustic tomography, which enables easy comparisons between regularisers with different properties, e.g. nonlinear, higher-order or directional. We solve the underlying minimisation problem with an efficient first-order primal-dual algorithm. Convergence rates are optimised by choosing an operator-dependent preconditioning strategy. A variety of reconstruction methods are tested on challenging 2D synthetic and experimental data sets. They outperform direct reconstruction approaches for strong noise levels and limited angle measurements, offering immediate benefits in terms of acquisition time and quality. This work provides a basic platform for the investigation of future advanced regularisation methods in photoacoustic tomography.

"mus co shee": Indigenous Plant Foods and Horticultural Imperialism in the Canadian Sub-Arctic.

PubMed

Soloway, Beverly

2015-01-01

The 17th-century arrival of the Hudson's Bay Company in Rupert's Land disrupted Mushkegowuk (Cree) hunter-gatherer society by replacing the collection of indigenous plant foods with a British planted-food model. Within a hundred years of British contact, new foodways relied upon hunting and gardening, bringing a loss in heritage plant food knowledge. Mushkegowuk living in the sub-arctic today have minimal knowledge of edible indigenous plants. Dependence on limited local gardening or imported grocery store vegetables has affected diet, nutrition, and cultural systems. In addition to exploring plant food gathering and gardening history in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, this paper demonstrates how re-discovering lost foodway knowledge can contribute to the health and well-being of those living in the far north.

Broken connections of wetland cultural knowledge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Middleton, Beth A.

2016-01-01

As global agriculture intensifies, cultural knowledge of wetland utilization has eroded as natural resources become more stressed, and marginal farmers move away from the land. The excellent paper by Fawzi et al. (2016) documents a particularly poignant case of traditional knowledge loss among the Marsh Arab women of Iraq. Through interviews, the authors document the breakdown of skill transfer from the older to younger generation of women. The authors link the loss of their cultural knowledge with the loss of wetlands in the region. Women no longer can help provide for their families using wetland products, and along with that, their ancient knowledge of plant usage is lost. These ancient skills included medicinal uses, and reed harvesting for weaving and water buffalo fodder. As, the majority of the Mesopotamian Marshes have dried, this way of life is being forgotten (Fawzi et al. 2015). The global tragedy is that while the careful alliance of wetlands and people have sustained human cultures for millennia, degraded wetlands lose their ability to provide these services (Maltby 1980).

Insight into the feeding behavior of predatory mites on Beauveria bassiana, an arthropod pathogen

PubMed Central

Wu, Shengyong; Zhang, Ye; Xu, Xuenong; Lei, Zhongren

2016-01-01

Interactions between fungal entomopathogens and pest predators are particularly relevant in control of agricultural insect pests. In a laboratory study, we confirmed that the predatory mite, Neoseiulus barkeri, exhibited feeding behavior on the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana conidia through DNA extracts. Using transmission electron microscopy, we determined that the majority of conidia found in the mite gut tended to dissolve within 24 h post ingestion, suggesting that the conidia had probably lost their viability. To our knowledge this is the first report of feeding behavior of phytoseiid mites on entomopathogenic fungus. The findings expand our knowledge of fungus–predator interactions. PMID:27041703

A multiplicative regularization for force reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aucejo, M.; De Smet, O.

2017-02-01

Additive regularizations, such as Tikhonov-like approaches, are certainly the most popular methods for reconstructing forces acting on a structure. These approaches require, however, the knowledge of a regularization parameter, that can be numerically computed using specific procedures. Unfortunately, these procedures are generally computationally intensive. For this particular reason, it could be of primary interest to propose a method able to proceed without defining any regularization parameter beforehand. In this paper, a multiplicative regularization is introduced for this purpose. By construction, the regularized solution has to be calculated in an iterative manner. In doing so, the amount of regularization is automatically adjusted throughout the resolution process. Validations using synthetic and experimental data highlight the ability of the proposed approach in providing consistent reconstructions.

Step Cut Lengthening: A Technique for Treatment of Flexor Pollicis Longus Tendon Rupture.

PubMed

Chong, Chew-Wei; Chen, Shih-Heng

2018-04-01

Reconstruction of a tendon defect is a challenging task in hand surgery. Delayed repair of a ruptured flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon is often associated with tendon defect. Primary repair of the tendon is often not possible, particularly after debridement of the unhealthy segment of the tendon. As such, various surgical treatments have been described in the literature, including single-stage tendon grafting, 2-stage tendon grafting, flexor digitorum superficialis tendon transfer from ring finger, and interphalangeal joint arthrodesis. We describe step cut lengthening of FPL tendon for the reconstruction of FPL rupture. This is a single-stage reconstruction without the need for tendon grafting or tendon transfer. To our knowledge, no such technique has been previously described.

On a full Bayesian inference for force reconstruction problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aucejo, M.; De Smet, O.

2018-05-01

In a previous paper, the authors introduced a flexible methodology for reconstructing mechanical sources in the frequency domain from prior local information on both their nature and location over a linear and time invariant structure. The proposed approach was derived from Bayesian statistics, because of its ability in mathematically accounting for experimenter's prior knowledge. However, since only the Maximum a Posteriori estimate was computed, the posterior uncertainty about the regularized solution given the measured vibration field, the mechanical model and the regularization parameter was not assessed. To answer this legitimate question, this paper fully exploits the Bayesian framework to provide, from a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm, credible intervals and other statistical measures (mean, median, mode) for all the parameters of the force reconstruction problem.

Analysis of the microcirculation after soft tissue reconstruction of the outer ear with burns in patients with severe burn injuries.

PubMed

Medved, Fabian; Medesan, Raluca; Rothenberger, Jens Martin; Schaller, Hans-Eberhard; Schoeller, Thomas; Manoli, Theodora; Weitgasser, Lennart; Naumann, Aline; Weitgasser, Laurenz

2016-07-01

Reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the ear with burns remains one of the most difficult tasks for the reconstructive surgeon. Although numerous reconstructive options are available, the results are often unpredictable and worse than expected. Besides full and split skin grafting, local random pattern flaps and pedicled flaps are frequently utilized to cover soft tissue defects of the outer auricle. Because of the difficulty and unpredictable nature of outer ear reconstruction after burn injury, a case-control study was conducted to determine the best reconstructive approach. The microcirculatory properties of different types of soft tissue reconstruction of the outer ear with burns in six severely burned Caucasian patients (three men and three women; mean age, 46 years (range, 22-70)) were compared to those in the healthy tissue of the outer ear using the O2C device (Oxygen to See; LEA Medizintechnik, Gießen, Germany). The results of this study revealed that the investigated microcirculation parameters such as the median values of blood flow (control group: 126 AU), relative amount of hemoglobin (control group: 59.5 AU), and tissue oxygen saturation (control group: 73%) are most similar to those of normal ear tissue when pedicled flaps based on the superficial temporal artery were used. These findings suggest that this type of reconstruction is superior for soft tissue reconstruction of the outer ear with burns in contrast to random pattern flaps and full skin grafts regarding the microcirculatory aspects. These findings may improve the knowledge on soft tissue viability and facilitate the exceptional and delicate process of planning the reconstruction of the auricle with burns. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reconstruction of the pelvic floor and the vagina after total pelvic exenteration using the transverse musculocutaneous gracilis flap.

PubMed

Kaartinen, Ilkka S; Vuento, Maarit H; Hyöty, Marja K; Kallio, Jukka; Kuokkanen, Hannu O

2015-01-01

Total pelvic exenteration (TPE) is a rare operation in which the pelvic contents are removed entirely. Several options for pelvic floor and vaginal reconstruction have been described including transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) or deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps. The transverse musculocutaneous gracilis (TMG) flap has been introduced for breast reconstruction as a free flap. We adopted the pedicled TMG flap for reconstructions after TPE. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this method in the literature. Between November 2011 and February 2014, 12 patients underwent TPE and reconstruction with unilateral (six patients) or bilateral (six patients) pedicled TMG flaps. Five patients underwent vaginal reconstruction with bilateral TMG flaps. We describe the operative procedure and the outcome of the operation in these patients. The total mean operative times for TPE with or without vaginal reconstruction were 467 ± 12 and 386 ± 59 min, respectively. The TMG flaps had enough vascular tissue and mobility for reconstructing the TPE defects. There was distal edge necrosis in one out of 18 flaps, while the rest survived completely. During the follow-up, complete wound healing with no signs of weakening of the pelvic floor was observed in all cases. Soft-tissue reconstructions are needed to reduce complications associated with TPE, to secure the pelvic floor and to reconstruct the vagina in select patients. The TMG flap is a logical flap choice that does not lead to functional deficits, complicate the abdominal ostomies or weaken the abdominal wall. It reduces the length of operation compared to that of abdominal flaps. IV, therapeutic. Copyright © 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the effect of increased pitch, iterative reconstruction and dual source CT on dose reduction and image quality.

PubMed

Gariani, Joanna; Martin, Steve P; Botsikas, Diomidis; Becker, Christoph D; Montet, Xavier

2018-06-14

To compare radiation dose and image quality of thoracoabdominal scans obtained with a high-pitch protocol (pitch 3.2) and iterative reconstruction (Sinogram Affirmed Iterative Reconstruction) in comparison to standard pitch reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) using dual source CT. 114 CT scans (Somatom Definition Flash, Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany), 39 thoracic scans, 54 thoracoabdominal scans and 21 abdominal scans were performed. Analysis of three protocols was undertaken; pitch of 1 reconstructed with FBP, pitch of 3.2 reconstructed with SAFIRE, pitch of 3.2 with stellar detectors reconstructed with SAFIRE. Objective and subjective image analysis were performed. Dose differences of the protocols used were compared. Dose was reduced when comparing scans with a pitch of 1 reconstructed with FBP to high-pitch scans with a pitch of 3.2 reconstructed with SAFIRE with a reduction of volume CT dose index of 75% for thoracic scans, 64% for thoracoabdominal scans and 67% for abdominal scans. There was a further reduction after the implementation of stellar detectors reflected in a reduction of 36% of the dose-length product for thoracic scans. This was not at the detriment of image quality, contrast-to-noise ratio, signal-to-noise ratio and the qualitative image analysis revealed a superior image quality in the high-pitch protocols. The combination of a high pitch protocol with iterative reconstruction allows significant dose reduction in routine chest and abdominal scans whilst maintaining or improving diagnostic image quality, with a further reduction in thoracic scans with stellar detectors. Advances in knowledge: High pitch imaging with iterative reconstruction is a tool that can be used to reduce dose without sacrificing image quality.

Clavicular bone tunnel malposition leads to early failures in coracoclavicular ligament reconstructions.

PubMed

Cook, Jay B; Shaha, James S; Rowles, Douglas J; Bottoni, Craig R; Shaha, Steven H; Tokish, John M

2013-01-01

Modern techniques for the treatment of acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocations have largely centered on free tendon graft reconstructions. Recent biomechanical studies have demonstrated that an anatomic reconstruction with 2 clavicular bone tunnels more closely matches the properties of native coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments than more traditional techniques. No study has analyzed tunnel position in regard to risk of early failure. To evaluate the effect of clavicular tunnel position in CC ligament reconstruction as a risk of early failure. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. A retrospective review was performed of a consecutive series of CC ligament reconstructions performed with 2 clavicular bone tunnels and a free tendon graft. The population was largely a young, active-duty military group of patients. Radiographs were analyzed for the maintenance of reduction and location of clavicular bone tunnels using a picture archiving and communication system. The distance from the lateral border of the clavicle to the center of each bone tunnel was divided by the total clavicular length to establish a ratio. Medical records were reviewed for operative details and functional outcome. Failure was defined as loss of intraoperative reduction. The overall failure rate was 28.6% (8/28) at an average of 7.4 weeks postoperatively. Comparison of bone tunnel position showed that medialized bone tunnels were a significant predictor for early loss of reduction for the conoid (a ratio of 0.292 vs 0.248; P = .012) and trapezoid bone tunnels (a ratio of 0.171 vs 0.128; P = .004); this correlated to an average of 7 to 9 mm more medial in the reconstructions that failed. Reconstructions performed with a conoid ratio of ≥0.30 were significantly more likely to fail (5/5, 100%) than were those performed lateral to a ratio of 0.30 (3/23, 13.0%) (P < .01). There were no failures when the conoid ratio was <0.25 (0/10, 0%). Conoid tunnel placement was also statistically significant for predicting return to duty in our active-duty population. Medial tunnel placement is a significant factor in risk for early failures when performing anatomic CC ligament reconstructions. Preoperative templating is recommended to evaluate optimal placement of the clavicular bone tunnels. Placement of the conoid tunnel at 25% of the clavicular length from the lateral border of the clavicle is associated with a lower rate of lost reduction and a higher rate of return to military duty.

Novel and Lost Forests in the Upper Midwestern United States, from New Estimates of Settlement-Era Composition, Stem Density, and Biomass.

PubMed

Goring, Simon J; Mladenoff, David J; Cogbill, Charles V; Record, Sydne; Paciorek, Christopher J; Jackson, Stephen T; Dietze, Michael C; Dawson, Andria; Matthes, Jaclyn Hatala; McLachlan, Jason S; Williams, John W

2016-01-01

EuroAmerican land-use and its legacies have transformed forest structure and composition across the United States (US). More accurate reconstructions of historical states are critical to understanding the processes governing past, current, and future forest dynamics. Here we present new gridded (8x8km) reconstructions of pre-settlement (1800s) forest composition and structure from the upper Midwestern US (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and most of Michigan), using 19th Century Public Land Survey System (PLSS), with estimates of relative composition, above-ground biomass, stem density, and basal area for 28 tree types. This mapping is more robust than past efforts, using spatially varying correction factors to accommodate sampling design, azimuthal censoring, and biases in tree selection. We compare pre-settlement to modern forests using US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data to show the prevalence of lost forests (pre-settlement forests with no current analog), and novel forests (modern forests with no past analogs). Differences between pre-settlement and modern forests are spatially structured owing to differences in land-use impacts and accompanying ecological responses. Modern forests are more homogeneous, and ecotonal gradients are more diffuse today than in the past. Novel forest assemblages represent 28% of all FIA cells, and 28% of pre-settlement forests no longer exist in a modern context. Lost forests include tamarack forests in northeastern Minnesota, hemlock and cedar dominated forests in north-central Wisconsin and along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and elm, oak, basswood and ironwood forests along the forest-prairie boundary in south central Minnesota and eastern Wisconsin. Novel FIA forest assemblages are distributed evenly across the region, but novelty shows a strong relationship to spatial distance from remnant forests in the upper Midwest, with novelty predicted at between 20 to 60km from remnants, depending on historical forest type. The spatial relationships between remnant and novel forests, shifts in ecotone structure and the loss of historic forest types point to significant challenges for land managers if landscape restoration is a priority. The spatial signals of novelty and ecological change also point to potential challenges in using modern spatial distributions of species and communities and their relationship to underlying geophysical and climatic attributes in understanding potential responses to changing climate. The signal of human settlement on modern forests is broad, spatially varying and acts to homogenize modern forests relative to their historic counterparts, with significant implications for future management.

Novel and Lost Forests in the Upper Midwestern United States, from New Estimates of Settlement-Era Composition, Stem Density, and Biomass

PubMed Central

Mladenoff, David J.; Cogbill, Charles V.; Record, Sydne; Paciorek, Christopher J.; Jackson, Stephen T.; Dietze, Michael C.; Dawson, Andria; Matthes, Jaclyn Hatala; McLachlan, Jason S.; Williams, John W.

2016-01-01

Background EuroAmerican land-use and its legacies have transformed forest structure and composition across the United States (US). More accurate reconstructions of historical states are critical to understanding the processes governing past, current, and future forest dynamics. Here we present new gridded (8x8km) reconstructions of pre-settlement (1800s) forest composition and structure from the upper Midwestern US (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and most of Michigan), using 19th Century Public Land Survey System (PLSS), with estimates of relative composition, above-ground biomass, stem density, and basal area for 28 tree types. This mapping is more robust than past efforts, using spatially varying correction factors to accommodate sampling design, azimuthal censoring, and biases in tree selection. Changes in Forest Structure We compare pre-settlement to modern forests using US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data to show the prevalence of lost forests (pre-settlement forests with no current analog), and novel forests (modern forests with no past analogs). Differences between pre-settlement and modern forests are spatially structured owing to differences in land-use impacts and accompanying ecological responses. Modern forests are more homogeneous, and ecotonal gradients are more diffuse today than in the past. Novel forest assemblages represent 28% of all FIA cells, and 28% of pre-settlement forests no longer exist in a modern context. Lost forests include tamarack forests in northeastern Minnesota, hemlock and cedar dominated forests in north-central Wisconsin and along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and elm, oak, basswood and ironwood forests along the forest-prairie boundary in south central Minnesota and eastern Wisconsin. Novel FIA forest assemblages are distributed evenly across the region, but novelty shows a strong relationship to spatial distance from remnant forests in the upper Midwest, with novelty predicted at between 20 to 60km from remnants, depending on historical forest type. The spatial relationships between remnant and novel forests, shifts in ecotone structure and the loss of historic forest types point to significant challenges for land managers if landscape restoration is a priority. The spatial signals of novelty and ecological change also point to potential challenges in using modern spatial distributions of species and communities and their relationship to underlying geophysical and climatic attributes in understanding potential responses to changing climate. The signal of human settlement on modern forests is broad, spatially varying and acts to homogenize modern forests relative to their historic counterparts, with significant implications for future management. PMID:27935944

What was natural in the coastal oceans?

PubMed Central

Jackson, Jeremy B. C.

2001-01-01

Humans transformed Western Atlantic coastal marine ecosystems before modern ecological investigations began. Paleoecological, archeological, and historical reconstructions demonstrate incredible losses of large vertebrates and oysters from the entire Atlantic coast. Untold millions of large fishes, sharks, sea turtles, and manatees were removed from the Caribbean in the 17th to 19th centuries. Recent collapses of reef corals and seagrasses are due ultimately to losses of these large consumers as much as to more recent changes in climate, eutrophication, or outbreaks of disease. Overfishing in the 19th century reduced vast beds of oysters in Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries to a few percent of pristine abundances and promoted eutrophication. Mechanized harvesting of bottom fishes like cod set off a series of trophic cascades that eliminated kelp forests and then brought them back again as fishers fished their way down food webs to small invertebrates. Lastly, but most pervasively, mechanized harvesting of the entire continental shelf decimated large, long-lived fishes and destroyed three-dimensional habitats built up by sessile corals, bryozoans, and sponges. The universal pattern of losses demonstrates that no coastal ecosystem is pristine and few wild fisheries are sustainable along the entire Western Atlantic coast. Reconstructions of ecosystems lost only a century or two ago demonstrate attainable goals of establishing large and effective marine reserves if society is willing to pay the costs. Historical reconstructions provide a new scientific framework for manipulative experiments at the ecosystem scale to explore the feasibility and benefits of protection of our living coastal resources. PMID:11344287

Hair band retained prosthetic reconstruction of bilaterally missing ears: a case of congenital atresia of external auditory canals and pinna.

PubMed

Minati, C; Shanmuganathan, N; Jain, Bhakti S; Padmanabhan, T V

2014-01-01

Auricular defects present reconstructive challenges, especially if they are bilateral. Surgical reconstruction provides effective results for defects; however for some patients surgical intervention is contraindicated. This case report describes an easy clinical technique to rehabilitate a patient with auricular defects. The prime purpose of this treatment rendered was to restore the lost auricular structure to the patient's satisfaction in an elegant, comfortable and cost effective manner. A thirteen year old female patient, who had bilaterally missing ears, was referred with a chief complaint of discomfort caused due to her existing hair band prosthesis and unsatisfactory esthetics. There was constant formation of ulcers at the site where the prosthesis came in contact with the skin. Considering the patient's age, ease of use and economic status, hair band retained ear prosthesis was selected. Silicone ear prostheses were fabricated on acrylic substructure to ensure fit, esthetics. Beneath the acrylic plates, a thin layer of soft silicone material was attached. The ear prostheses of both sides were connected with a metal hair band to retain. The newly fabricated prosthesis overcame the limitations of the existing one. The patient and her parents were satisfied with the results. The hair band retained silicone ear prosthesis is esthetic, economical and easy to use as a facial prosthesis. The addition of soft liner provided a cushion-like effect, thus reducing the formation of any ulcers due to pressure. Copyright © 2013 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The structure of reconstructed chalcopyrite surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thinius, Sascha; Islam, Mazharul M.; Bredow, Thomas

2018-03-01

Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) surfaces are of major interest for copper exploitation in aqueous solution, called leaching. Since leaching is a surface process knowledge of the surface structure, bonding pattern and oxidation states is important for improving the efficiency. At present such information is not available from experimental studies. Therefore a detailed computational study of chalcopyrite surfaces is performed. The structures of low-index stoichiometric chalcopyrite surfaces {hkl} h, k, l ∈ {0, 1, 2} have been studied with density functional theory (DFT) and global optimization strategies. We have applied ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) in combination with simulated annealing (SA) in order to explore possible reconstructions via a minima hopping (MH) algorithm. In almost all cases reconstruction involving substantial rearrangement has occurred accompanied by reduction of the surface energy. The analysis of the change in the coordination sphere and migration during reconstruction reveals that S-S dimers are formed on the surface. Further it was observed that metal atoms near the surface move toward the bulk forming metal alloys passivated by sulfur. The obtained surface energies of reconstructed surfaces are in the range of 0.53-0.95 J/m2.

Prehistoric cooking versus accurate palaeotemperature records in shell midden constituents.

PubMed

Müller, Peter; Staudigel, Philip T; Murray, Sean T; Vernet, Robert; Barusseau, Jean-Paul; Westphal, Hildegard; Swart, Peter K

2017-06-15

The reconstruction of pre-depositional cooking treatments used by prehistoric coastal populations for processing aquatic faunal resources is often difficult in archaeological shell midden assemblages. Besides limiting our knowledge of various social, cultural, economic and technological aspects of shell midden formation, unknown pre-depositional cooking techniques can also introduce large errors in palaeoclimate reconstructions as they can considerably alter the geochemical proxy signatures in calcareous skeletal structures such as bivalve shells or fish otoliths. Based on experimental and archaeological data, we show that carbonate clumped-isotope thermometry can be used to detect and reconstruct prehistoric processing methods in skeletal aragonite from archaeological shell midden assemblages. Given the temperature-dependent re-equilibration of clumped isotopes in aragonitic carbonates, this allows specific processing, cooking or trash dispersal strategies such as boiling, roasting, or burning to be differentiated. Besides permitting the detailed reconstruction of cultural or technological aspects of shell midden formation, this also allows erroneous palaeoclimate reconstructions to be avoided as all aragonitic shells subjected to pre-historic cooking methods show a clear alteration of their initial oxygen isotopic composition.

Three-dimensional electrical impedance tomography based on the complete electrode model.

PubMed

Vauhkonen, P J; Vauhkonen, M; Savolainen, T; Kaipio, J P

1999-09-01

In electrical impedance tomography an approximation for the internal resistivity distribution is computed based on the knowledge of the injected currents and measured voltages on the surface of the body. It is often assumed that the injected currents are confined to the two-dimensional (2-D) electrode plane and the reconstruction is based on 2-D assumptions. However, the currents spread out in three dimensions and, therefore, off-plane structures have significant effect on the reconstructed images. In this paper we propose a finite element-based method for the reconstruction of three-dimensional resistivity distributions. The proposed method is based on the so-called complete electrode model that takes into account the presence of the electrodes and the contact impedances. Both the forward and the inverse problems are discussed and results from static and dynamic (difference) reconstructions with real measurement data are given. It is shown that in phantom experiments with accurate finite element computations it is possible to obtain static images that are comparable with difference images that are reconstructed from the same object with the empty (saline filled) tank as a reference.

Computer-aided light sheet flow visualization using photogrammetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stacy, Kathryn; Severance, Kurt; Childers, Brooks A.

1994-01-01

A computer-aided flow visualization process has been developed to analyze video images acquired from rotating and translating light sheet visualization systems. The computer process integrates a mathematical model for image reconstruction, advanced computer graphics concepts, and digital image processing to provide a quantitative and a visual analysis capability. The image reconstruction model, based on photogrammetry, uses knowledge of the camera and light sheet locations and orientations to project two-dimensional light sheet video images into three-dimensional space. A sophisticated computer visualization package, commonly used to analyze computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results, was chosen to interactively display the reconstructed light sheet images with the numerical surface geometry for the model or aircraft under study. The photogrammetric reconstruction technique and the image processing and computer graphics techniques and equipment are described. Results of the computer-aided process applied to both a wind tunnel translating light sheet experiment and an in-flight rotating light sheet experiment are presented. The capability to compare reconstructed experimental light sheet images with CFD solutions in the same graphics environment is also demonstrated.

Computer-Aided Light Sheet Flow Visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stacy, Kathryn; Severance, Kurt; Childers, Brooks A.

1993-01-01

A computer-aided flow visualization process has been developed to analyze video images acquired from rotating and translating light sheet visualization systems. The computer process integrates a mathematical model for image reconstruction, advanced computer graphics concepts, and digital image processing to provide a quantitative and visual analysis capability. The image reconstruction model, based on photogrammetry, uses knowledge of the camera and light sheet locations and orientations to project two-dimensional light sheet video images into three-dimensional space. A sophisticated computer visualization package, commonly used to analyze computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data sets, was chosen to interactively display the reconstructed light sheet images, along with the numerical surface geometry for the model or aircraft under study. A description is provided of the photogrammetric reconstruction technique, and the image processing and computer graphics techniques and equipment. Results of the computer aided process applied to both a wind tunnel translating light sheet experiment and an in-flight rotating light sheet experiment are presented. The capability to compare reconstructed experimental light sheet images and CFD solutions in the same graphics environment is also demonstrated.

Automated Probabilistic Reconstruction of White-Matter Pathways in Health and Disease Using an Atlas of the Underlying Anatomy

PubMed Central

Yendiki, Anastasia; Panneck, Patricia; Srinivasan, Priti; Stevens, Allison; Zöllei, Lilla; Augustinack, Jean; Wang, Ruopeng; Salat, David; Ehrlich, Stefan; Behrens, Tim; Jbabdi, Saad; Gollub, Randy; Fischl, Bruce

2011-01-01

We have developed a method for automated probabilistic reconstruction of a set of major white-matter pathways from diffusion-weighted MR images. Our method is called TRACULA (TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy) and utilizes prior information on the anatomy of the pathways from a set of training subjects. By incorporating this prior knowledge in the reconstruction procedure, our method obviates the need for manual interaction with the tract solutions at a later stage and thus facilitates the application of tractography to large studies. In this paper we illustrate the application of the method on data from a schizophrenia study and investigate whether the inclusion of both patients and healthy subjects in the training set affects our ability to reconstruct the pathways reliably. We show that, since our method does not constrain the exact spatial location or shape of the pathways but only their trajectory relative to the surrounding anatomical structures, a set a of healthy training subjects can be used to reconstruct the pathways accurately in patients as well as in controls. PMID:22016733

Adaptive 3D Face Reconstruction from Unconstrained Photo Collections.

PubMed

Roth, Joseph; Tong, Yiying; Liu, Xiaoming

2016-12-07

Given a photo collection of "unconstrained" face images of one individual captured under a variety of unknown pose, expression, and illumination conditions, this paper presents a method for reconstructing a 3D face surface model of the individual along with albedo information. Unlike prior work on face reconstruction that requires large photo collections, we formulate an approach to adapt to photo collections with a high diversity in both the number of images and the image quality. To achieve this, we incorporate prior knowledge about face shape by fitting a 3D morphable model to form a personalized template, following by using a novel photometric stereo formulation to complete the fine details, under a coarse-to-fine scheme. Our scheme incorporates a structural similarity-based local selection step to help identify a common expression for reconstruction while discarding occluded portions of faces. The evaluation of reconstruction performance is through a novel quality measure, in the absence of ground truth 3D scans. Superior large-scale experimental results are reported on synthetic, Internet, and personal photo collections.

Statistical Analysis of Interactive Surgical Planning Using Shape Descriptors in Mandibular Reconstruction with Fibular Segments

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

This study was performed to quantitatively analyze medical knowledge of, and experience with, decision-making in preoperative virtual planning of mandibular reconstruction. Three shape descriptors were designed to evaluate local differences between reconstructed mandibles and patients’ original mandibles. We targeted an asymmetrical, wide range of cutting areas including the mandibular sidepiece, and defined a unique three-dimensional coordinate system for each mandibular image. The generalized algorithms for computing the shape descriptors were integrated into interactive planning software, where the user can refine the preoperative plan using the spatial map of the local shape distance as a visual guide. A retrospective study was conducted with two oral surgeons and two dental technicians using the developed software. The obtained 120 reconstruction plans show that the participants preferred a moderate shape distance rather than optimization to the smallest. We observed that a visually plausible shape could be obtained when considering specific anatomical features (e.g., mental foramen. mandibular midline). The proposed descriptors can be used to multilaterally evaluate reconstruction plans and systematically learn surgical procedures. PMID:27583465

Computer-aided light sheet flow visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stacy, Kathryn; Severance, Kurt; Childers, Brooks A.

1993-01-01

A computer-aided flow visualization process has been developed to analyze video images acquired from rotating and translating light sheet visualization systems. The computer process integrates a mathematical model for image reconstruction, advanced computer graphics concepts, and digital image processing to provide a quantitative and visual analysis capability. The image reconstruction model, based on photogrammetry, uses knowledge of the camera and light sheet locations and orientations to project two-dimensional light sheet video images into three-dimensional space. A sophisticated computer visualization package, commonly used to analyze computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data sets, was chosen to interactively display the reconstructed light sheet images, along with the numerical surface geometry for the model or aircraft under study. A description is provided of the photogrammetric reconstruction technique, and the image processing and computer graphics techniques and equipment. Results of the computer aided process applied to both a wind tunnel translating light sheet experiment and an in-flight rotating light sheet experiment are presented. The capability to compare reconstructed experimental light sheet images and CFD solutions in the same graphics environment is also demonstrated.

The ‘dark side’ of knowledge brokering

PubMed Central

Wilson, Paul; Boaden, Ruth

2016-01-01

Deploying knowledge brokers to bridge the ‘gap’ between researchers and practitioners continues to be seen as an unquestionable enabler of evidence-based practice and is often endorsed uncritically. We explore the ‘dark side’ of knowledge brokering, reflecting on its inherent challenges which we categorize as: (1) tensions between different aspects of brokering; (2) tensions between different types and sources of knowledge; and (3) tensions resulting from the ‘in-between’ position of brokers. As a result of these tensions, individual brokers may struggle to maintain their fragile and ambiguous intermediary position, and some of the knowledge may be lost in the ‘in-between world’, whereby research evidence is transferred to research users without being mobilized in their day-to-day practice. To be effective, brokering requires an amalgamation of several types of knowledge and a multidimensional skill set that needs to be sustained over time. If we want to maximize the impact of research on policy and practice, we should move from deploying individual ‘brokers’ to embracing the collective process of ‘brokering’ supported at the organizational and policy levels. PMID:28429974

The 'dark side' of knowledge brokering.

PubMed

Kislov, Roman; Wilson, Paul; Boaden, Ruth

2017-04-01

Deploying knowledge brokers to bridge the 'gap' between researchers and practitioners continues to be seen as an unquestionable enabler of evidence-based practice and is often endorsed uncritically. We explore the 'dark side' of knowledge brokering, reflecting on its inherent challenges which we categorize as: (1) tensions between different aspects of brokering; (2) tensions between different types and sources of knowledge; and (3) tensions resulting from the 'in-between' position of brokers. As a result of these tensions, individual brokers may struggle to maintain their fragile and ambiguous intermediary position, and some of the knowledge may be lost in the 'in-between world', whereby research evidence is transferred to research users without being mobilized in their day-to-day practice. To be effective, brokering requires an amalgamation of several types of knowledge and a multidimensional skill set that needs to be sustained over time. If we want to maximize the impact of research on policy and practice, we should move from deploying individual 'brokers' to embracing the collective process of 'brokering' supported at the organizational and policy levels.

Sensor fusion III: 3-D perception and recognition; Proceedings of the Meeting, Boston, MA, Nov. 5-8, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schenker, Paul S. (Editor)

1991-01-01

The volume on data fusion from multiple sources discusses fusing multiple views, temporal analysis and 3D motion interpretation, sensor fusion and eye-to-hand coordination, and integration in human shape perception. Attention is given to surface reconstruction, statistical methods in sensor fusion, fusing sensor data with environmental knowledge, computational models for sensor fusion, and evaluation and selection of sensor fusion techniques. Topics addressed include the structure of a scene from two and three projections, optical flow techniques for moving target detection, tactical sensor-based exploration in a robotic environment, and the fusion of human and machine skills for remote robotic operations. Also discussed are K-nearest-neighbor concepts for sensor fusion, surface reconstruction with discontinuities, a sensor-knowledge-command fusion paradigm for man-machine systems, coordinating sensing and local navigation, and terrain map matching using multisensing techniques for applications to autonomous vehicle navigation.

Clinical outcome after reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament in paediatric patients with recurrent patella instability.

PubMed

Lind, Martin; Enderlein, Ditte; Nielsen, Torsten; Christiansen, Svend Erik; Faunø, Peter

2016-03-01

Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction has recently been broadly accepted as primary surgical treatment in adults. Reconstruction techniques with osseous fixation in femur cannot be used for patients with open growth plates. Operative treatment of patella instability in children therefore is a challenge and requires alternative MPFL reconstruction techniques. Limited knowledge exists concerning outcome after MPFL reconstruction in children and adolescents. This study present clinical outcome in a consecutive single clinic series of children treated with paediatric MPFL reconstruction using a soft tissue femoral fixation technique. Twenty-four MPFL reconstructions in 20 operated children aged 8-16 were included in the study. Indication for surgery was two or more patella dislocations. MPFL reconstruction was performed by looping the released gracilis tendon around the adductor magnus tendon insertion and through drill holes in the proximal medial patella edge. Clinical outcome was evaluated by Kujala score and NRS pain score preoperatively, at 1-year follow-up and final follow-up at 39 months. Outcome was compared with a cohort of 179 adult patients with recurrent patella instability operated with an adult MPFL reconstruction technique. Kujala score improved from 61 (13) to 81 (16). NRS pain score improved from 3.0 (3.1) to 1.5 (1.3) in activity. Four patients (20%) experienced redislocation within the first postoperative year compared with 5% in an adult patient population. Five patients (25%) experienced subluxations. One patient with a redislocation was re-operated with adult MPFL reconstruction technique. Cartilage injury was seen in six patients. There are clinical relevant improvements in knee function and pain after MPFL reconstruction in paediatric patients. Patella stability after MPFL reconstruction using femoral soft tissue graft fixation in paediatric patients was inferior to MPFL reconstruction using bony femoral fixation in adult patients. Case-Control study, Level III.

Vestibular deepening by periosteal fenestration and its use as a periosteal pedicle flap for root coverage

PubMed Central

Rajpal, Jaisika; Gupta, Krishna K.; Srivastava, Ruchi; Arora, Aakash

2013-01-01

Gingival recession along with reduced width of attached gingiva and inadequate vestibular depth is a very common finding. Multiple techniques have been developed to obtain predictable root coverage and to increase the width of attached gingiva. Usually, the width of gingiva is first increased and then the second surgery is caried out for root coverage. The newer methods of root coverage are needed, not only to reconstruct the lost periodontal tissues but also to increase predictability, reduce the number of surgical sites, reduce the number of surgeries and improve patient comfort. Hence, this paper describes a single stage technique for increasing the width of attached gingiva and root coverage by using the periosteal pedicle flap. PMID:23869140

Mitochondrial-type hsp70 genes of the amitochondriate protists, Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica and two microsporidians☆

PubMed Central

Arisue, Nobuko; Sánchez, Lidya B.; Weiss, Louis M.; Müller, Miklós; Hashimoto, Tetsuo

2011-01-01

Genes encoding putative mitochondrial-type heat shock protein 70 (mit-hsp70) were isolated and sequenced from amitochondriate protists, Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, and two microsporidians, Encephalitozoon hellem and Glugea plecoglossi. The deduced mit-hsp70 sequences were analyzed by sequence alignments and phylogenetic reconstructions. The mit-hsp70 sequence of these four amitochondriate protists were divergent from other mit-hsp70 sequences of mitochondriate eukaryotes. However, all of these sequences were clearly located within a eukaryotic mitochondrial clade in the tree including various type hsp70 sequences, supporting the emerging notion that none of these amitochondriate lineages are primitively amitochodrial, but lost their mitochondria secondarily in their evolutionary past. PMID:11880223

Knee arthrodesis.

PubMed

MacDonald, James H; Agarwal, Sanjeev; Lorei, Matthew P; Johanson, Norman A; Freiberg, Andrew A

2006-03-01

Arthrodesis is one of the last options available to obtain a stable, painless knee in a patient with a damaged knee joint that is not amenable to reconstructive measures. Common indications for knee arthrodesis include failed total knee arthroplasty, periarticular tumor, posttraumatic arthritis, and chronic sepsis. The primary contraindications to knee fusion are bilateral involvement or an ipsilateral hip arthrodesis. A variety of techniques has been described, including external fixation, internal fixation by compression plates, intramedullary fixation through the knee with a modular nail, and antegrade nailing through the piriformis fossa. Allograft or autograft may be necessary to restore lost bone stock or to augment fusion. For the carefully selected patient with realistic expectations, knee arthrodesis may relieve pain and obviate the need for additional surgery or extensive postoperative rehabilitation.

Eternal hate and conscience: on the filiation between Freudian psychoanalysis and sixteenth and early seventeenth century Protestant thought.

PubMed

Westerink, Herman

2011-01-01

In his seminar on ethics Jacques Lacan suggests there exists a "filiation or cultural paternity" between Freudian psychoanalysis and a "new direction of thought" that starts with Luther's conceptualization of God's eternal hate of man, and is then futher continued in Calvinism. In this article this thesis is explored. The author argues that there is not only a familiarity between the Protestant doctrines of predestination and Freud's reconstruction of prehistoric events and primal scenes, but also that Lacan's views on conscience formation and his elaborations of the complexity of moral decisions resembles Calvinist thought on civil and spiritual conscience, and the longing for restoration of a lost image of God.

Comparison of reconstruction methods and quantitative accuracy in Siemens Inveon PET scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ram Yu, A.; Kim, Jin Su; Kang, Joo Hyun; Moo Lim, Sang

2015-04-01

PET reconstruction is key to the quantification of PET data. To our knowledge, no comparative study of reconstruction methods has been performed to date. In this study, we compared reconstruction methods with various filters in terms of their spatial resolution, non-uniformities (NU), recovery coefficients (RCs), and spillover ratios (SORs). In addition, the linearity of reconstructed radioactivity between linearity of measured and true concentrations were also assessed. A Siemens Inveon PET scanner was used in this study. Spatial resolution was measured with NEMA standard by using a 1 mm3 sized 18F point source. Image quality was assessed in terms of NU, RC and SOR. To measure the effect of reconstruction algorithms and filters, data was reconstructed using FBP, 3D reprojection algorithm (3DRP), ordered subset expectation maximization 2D (OSEM 2D), and maximum a posteriori (MAP) with various filters or smoothing factors (β). To assess the linearity of reconstructed radioactivity, image quality phantom filled with 18F was used using FBP, OSEM and MAP (β =1.5 & 5 × 10-5). The highest achievable volumetric resolution was 2.31 mm3 and the highest RCs were obtained when OSEM 2D was used. SOR was 4.87% for air and 3.97% for water, obtained OSEM 2D reconstruction was used. The measured radioactivity of reconstruction image was proportional to the injected one for radioactivity below 16 MBq/ml when FBP or OSEM 2D reconstruction methods were used. By contrast, when the MAP reconstruction method was used, activity of reconstruction image increased proportionally, regardless of the amount of injected radioactivity. When OSEM 2D or FBP were used, the measured radioactivity concentration was reduced by 53% compared with true injected radioactivity for radioactivity <16 MBq/ml. The OSEM 2D reconstruction method provides the highest achievable volumetric resolution and highest RC among all the tested methods and yields a linear relation between the measured and true concentrations for radioactivity Our data collectively showed that OSEM 2D reconstruction method provides quantitatively accurate reconstructed PET data results.

Mass Balance Changes and Ice Dynamics of Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets from Laser Altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babonis, G. S.; Csatho, B.; Schenk, T.

2016-06-01

During the past few decades the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have lost ice at accelerating rates, caused by increasing surface temperature. The melting of the two big ice sheets has a big impact on global sea level rise. If the ice sheets would melt down entirely, the sea level would rise more than 60 m. Even a much smaller rise would cause dramatic damage along coastal regions. In this paper we report about a major upgrade of surface elevation changes derived from laser altimetry data, acquired by NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite mission (ICESat) and airborne laser campaigns, such as Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) and Land, Vegetation and Ice Sensor (LVIS). For detecting changes in ice sheet elevations we have developed the Surface Elevation Reconstruction And Change detection (SERAC) method. It computes elevation changes of small surface patches by keeping the surface shape constant and considering the absolute values as surface elevations. We report about important upgrades of earlier results, for example the inclusion of local ice caps and the temporal extension from 1993 to 2014 for the Greenland Ice Sheet and for a comprehensive reconstruction of ice thickness and mass changes for the Antarctic Ice Sheets.

South Pole Hydrogen Distribution for Present Lunar Conditions: Implications for Past Impacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elphic, R. C.; Paige, D. A.; Siegler, M. A.; Vasavada, A. R.; Eke, V. R.; Teodoro, L. F. A.; Lawrence, D. J.

2010-01-01

It has been known since the Lunar Prospector mission that the poles of the Moon evidently harbor enhanced concentrations of hydrogen [1,2]. The physical and chemical form of the hydrogen has been much debated. Using imagery from Clementine it was possible to roughly estimate permanently-shadowed regions (PSRs), and to perform image reconstructions of the Lunar Prospector epithermal neutron flux maps [3,4]. The hydrogen concentrations resulting from these reconstructions were consistent with a few weight percent water ice in selected locations. With the LCROSS impact, we now know that hydrogen in the form of ice does exist in lunar polar cold traps [5]. Armed with this information, and new data from LRO/Diviner, we can examine whether the pre-sent-day distribution of hydrogen in the form of water ice is consistent with a past large impact that delivered a large mass of volatiles to the lunar surface. These volatiles, mixed with solid impact ejecta, would then be lost from locations having high mean temperatures but would otherwise remain trapped in locations with sufficiently low mean annual temperatures [6]. The time scales for loss would depend on the location-dependent temperatures as well as impact history.

The American cranberry mitochondrial genome reveals the presence of selenocysteine (tRNA-Sec and SECIS) insertion machinery in land plants.

PubMed

Fajardo, Diego; Schlautman, Brandon; Steffan, Shawn; Polashock, James; Vorsa, Nicholi; Zalapa, Juan

2014-02-25

This is the first de novo assembly and annotation of a complete mitochondrial genome in the Ericales order from the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Moreover, only four complete Asterid mitochondrial genomes have been made publicly available. The cranberry mitochondrial genome was assembled and reconstructed from whole genome 454 Roche GS-FLX and Illumina shotgun sequences. Compared with other Asterids, the reconstruction of the genome revealed an average size mitochondrion (459,678 nt) with relatively little repetitive sequences and DNA of plastid origin. The complete mitochondrial genome of cranberry was annotated obtaining a total of 34 genes classified based on their putative function, plus three ribosomal RNAs, and 17 transfer RNAs. Maternal organellar cranberry inheritance was inferred by analyzing gene variation in the cranberry mitochondria and plastid genomes. The annotation of cranberry mitochondrial genome revealed the presence of two copies of tRNA-Sec and a selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element which were lost in plants during evolution. This is the first report of a land plant possessing selenocysteine insertion machinery at the sequence level. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An analysis of printing conditions for wavefront overlapping printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichihashi, Y.; Yamamoto, K.; Wakunami, K.; Oi, R.; Okui, M.; Senoh, T.

2017-03-01

Wavefront printing for a digitally-designed hologram has got attentions recently. In this printing, a spatial light modulator (SLM) is used for displaying a hologram data and the wavefront is reproduced by irradiating the hologram with a reference light the same way as electronic holography. However, a pixel count of current SLM devices is not enough to display an entire hologram data. To generate a practical digitally-designed hologram, the entire hologram data is divided into a set of sub-hologram data and wavefront reproduced by each sub-hologram is sequentially recorded in tiling manner by using X-Y motorized stage. Due to a lack of positioning an accuracy of X-Y motorized stage and the temporal incoherent recording, phase continuity of recorded/reproduced wavefront is lost between neighboring subholograms. In this paper, we generate the holograms that have different size of sub-holograms with an overlap or nonoverlap, and verify the size of sub-holograms effect on the reconstructed images. In the result, the reconstructed images degrade with decreasing the size of sub-holograms and there is little or no degradation of quality by the wavefront printing with the overlap.

Evaluation of the occlusal contact of crowns fabricated with the bite impression method.

PubMed

Makino, Sachi; Okada, Daizo; Shin, Chiharu; Ogura, Reiko; Ikeda, Masaomi; Miura, Hiroyuki

2013-09-30

In prosthodontic treatment, reconstruction of a proper occlusal contact relationship is very important as well as reconstruction of a proper interproximal relationship and marginal fitness. Unfortunately, occlusal relationships are sometimes lost in the process of occlusal adjustment of crowns. The purpose of this study was to compare the occlusal contacts of single crown fabricated by two different types of impression techniques. Nine subjects, whose molars required treatment with crown restoration, were enrolled in this study. Full cast crowns were fabricated using two types of impression techniques: the conventional impression method (CIM) and the bite impression method (BIM). The occlusal contacts of crowns were precisely evaluated at the following stages: after occlusal adjustment on the articulator (Step 0), before occlusal adjustment in the mouth (Step 1), after occlusal adjustment at the intercuspal position (Step 2), and after occlusal adjustment during lateral and protrusive excursions (Step 3). The number of occlusal contacts of the crowns on the functional cusps fabricated with BIM was significantly greater than that with CIM after occlusal adjustment. For this reason, the crowns fabricated with BIM might have a more functionally desirable occlusal surface compared to the crowns fabricated with CIM.

Boilermodel: A Qualitative Model-Based Reasoning System Implemented in Ada

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

comple- ment to shipboard engineering training. Accesion For NTIS CRA&I DTIO I A3 f_- Unairmoui1ccd [i Justification By ................... Distribut;or, I...investment (in terms of man-hours lost, equipment maintenance, materials, etc.) for initial training. On- going training is also required to sustain a...REASONING FROM MODELS Model-based expert systems have been written in many languages and for many different architectures . Knowledge representation also

Medical negligence based on bad faith, breach of contract, or mental anguish.

PubMed

Ficarra, B J

1980-01-01

Financial recovery owing to breach of contract is restricted to the pecuniary amount lost because of failure to perform on the stipulated contract. With the acquisition of newer knowledge, attorneys are now utilizing the weapon of contractual failure as applied to medical negligence. The impetus to this new weapon for the plaintiff has accrued because of the favorable verdicts rendered from positive decisions based upon bad faith.

Intraoperative angiography provides objective assessment of skin perfusion in complex knee reconstruction.

PubMed

Wyles, Cody C; Taunton, Michael J; Jacobson, Steven R; Tran, Nho V; Sierra, Rafael J; Trousdale, Robert T

2015-01-01

Wound necrosis is a potentially devastating complication of complex knee reconstruction. Laser-assisted indocyanine green angiography (LA-ICGA) is a technology that has been described in the plastic surgery literature to provide an objective assessment of skin perfusion in the operating room. This novel technology uses a plasma protein bound dye (ICG) and a camera unit that is calibrated to view the frequency emitted by the dye. The intention of this technology is to offer real-time visualization of blood flow to skin and soft tissue in a way that might help surgeons make decisions about closure or coverage of a surgical site based on blood flow, potentially avoiding soft tissue reconstruction while preventing skin necrosis or wound breakdown after primary closures, but its efficacy is untested in the setting of complex TKA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate perfusion borders and tension ischemia in a series of complex knee reconstructions to guide optimal wound management. Beginning in mid-2011, an LA-ICGA system was used to evaluate soft tissue viability in knee reconstruction procedures that were considered high risk for wound complications. Seven patients undergoing complex primary or revision TKA from 2011 to 2013 were included. These patients were chosen as a convenience sample of knee reconstruction procedures for which we obtained consultation with the plastic surgery service. The perfusion of skin and soft tissue coverage was evaluated intraoperatively for all patients with the LA-ICGA system, and the information was used to guide wound management. Followup was at a mean of 9 months (range, 6-17 months), no patients were lost to followup, and the main study endpoint was uneventful healing of the surgical incision. All seven closures went on to heal without necrosis. One patient, however, was subsequently revised for a deep periprosthetic infection 4 months after their knee reconstruction and underwent flap coverage at the time of that revision. Implementation of LA-ICGA provides an objective intraoperative assessment of soft tissue perfusion. This technology may help guide the surgeon's decisions about wound closure in real-time to accommodate the perfusion challenges unique to each patient. Specifically, patients with medical risk factors for poor perfusion or wound healing (such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, tobacco use, corticosteroid therapy, infection) or anatomical/surgical risk factors (ie, previous surgery about the reconstruction site, trauma wounds, or reconstruction of severe deformity) may benefit from objective intraoperative information regarding perfusion of the wound site. Furthermore, LA-ICGA could be used to prospectively evaluate the physiologic impact of different wound closure techniques. Level IV, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Virtual reconstruction of the skeletal labyrinth of two lamnid sharks (Elasmobranchii, Lamniformes).

PubMed

Schnetz, L; Kriwet, J; Pfaff, C

2017-03-01

The first virtual reconstruction of the skeletal labyrinth of the porbeagle shark Lamna nasus and the shortfin mako shark Isurus oxyrinchus is presented here using high-resolution micro-computed tomography. The results, in comparison with previously published information, suggest relationships between skeletal labyrinth morphology and locomotion mode in chondrichthyans, but also show that further studies are required to establish such connections. Nevertheless, this study adds to the knowledge of the skeletal labyrinth morphology in two apex elasmobranch species. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Titanium as a Reconstruction and Implant Material in Dentistry: Advantages and Pitfalls

PubMed Central

Özcan, Mutlu; Hämmerle, Christoph

2012-01-01

Commercial pure titanium (cpTi) has been the material of choice in several disciplines of dentistry due to its biocompatibility, resistance to corrosion and mechanical properties. Despite a number of favorable characteristics, cpTi as a reconstruction and oral implant material has several shortcomings. This paper highlights current knowledge on material properties, passive oxidation film formation, corrosion, surface activation, cell interactions, biofilm development, allergy, casting and machining properties of cpTi for better understanding and potential improvement of this material for its clinical applications.

Experimental demonstration of distributed feedback semiconductor lasers based on reconstruction-equivalent-chirp technology.

PubMed

Li, Jingsi; Wang, Huan; Chen, Xiangfei; Yin, Zuowei; Shi, Yuechun; Lu, Yanqing; Dai, Yitang; Zhu, Hongliang

2009-03-30

In this paper we report, to the best of our knowledge, the first experimental realization of distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor lasers based on reconstruction-equivalent-chirp (REC) technology. Lasers with different lasing wavelengths are achieved simultaneously on one chip, which shows a potential for the REC technology in combination with the photonic integrated circuits (PIC) technology to be a possible method for monolithic integration, in that its fabrication is as powerful as electron beam technology and the cost and time-consuming are almost the same as standard holographic technology.

ISYMOD: a knowledge warehouse for the identification, assembly and analysis of bacterial integrated systems.

PubMed

Chabalier, Julie; Capponi, Cécile; Quentin, Yves; Fichant, Gwennaele

2005-04-01

Complex biological functions emerge from interactions between proteins in stable supra-molecular assemblies and/or through transitory contacts. Most of the time protein partners of the assemblies are composed of one or several domains which exhibit different biochemical functions. Thus the study of cellular process requires the identification of different functional units and their integration in an interaction network; such complexes are referred to as integrated systems. In order to exploit with optimum efficiency the increased release of data, automated bioinformatics strategies are needed to identify, reconstruct and model such systems. For that purpose, we have developed a knowledge warehouse dedicated to the representation and acquisition of bacterial integrated systems involved in the exchange of the bacterial cell with its environment. ISYMOD is a knowledge warehouse that consistently integrates in the same environment the data and the methods used for their acquisition. This is achieved through the construction of (1) a domain knowledge base (DKB) devoted to the storage of the knowledge about the systems, their functional specificities, their partners and how they are related and (2) a methodological knowledge base (MKB) which depicts the task layout used to identify and reconstruct functional integrated systems. Instantiation of the DKB is obtained by solving the tasks of the MKB, whereas some tasks need instances of the DKB to be solved. AROM, an object-based knowledge representation system, has been used to design the DKB, and its task manager, AROMTasks, for developing the MKB. In this study two integrated systems, ABC transporters and two component systems, both involved in adaptation processes of a bacterial cell to its biotope, have been used to evaluate the feasibility of the approach.

Arterial complications, venous thromboembolism and deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Janssen, Rob Paulus Augustinus; Reijman, Max; Janssen, Daan Martijn; van Mourik, Jan Bernardus Antonius

2016-01-01

AIM To summarize the current knowledge on vascular complications and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, PubMed publisher, and Google scholar medical literature databases were searched up to November 10, 2015. Any arthroscopic surgical method of primary or revision intra-articular ACL reconstruction of all graft types in humans was included. A risk of bias assessment was determined. RESULTS Fourty-seven studies were included in the review. Pseudaneurysms were the most frequently reported arterial complication after ACL reconstruction, irrespective of graft type or method of graft fixation with an incidence of 0.3%. The time to diagnosis of arterial complications after ACL reconstruction varied from days to mostly weeks but even years. After ACL reconstruction without thromboprophylaxis, the incidence of DVT was 9.7%, of which 2.1% was symptomatic. The incidence of pulmonary embolism was 0.1%. Tourniquet time > 2 h was related to venous thromboembolism. Thromboprophylaxis is indicated in patients with risk factors for venous thromboembolism. CONCLUSION After ACL reconstruction, the incidence of arterial complications, symptomatic DVT and pulmonary embolism was 0.3%, 2.1% and 0.1% respectively. Arterial complications may occur with all types of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, methods of graft fixation as well as any type of graft. Patients considered to be at moderate or high risk of venous thromboembolism should routinely receive thromboprophylaxis after ACL reconstruction. PMID:27672574

My First 100 Consecutive Microvascular Free Flaps: Pearls and Lessons Learned in First Year of Practice

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background: Microvascular reconstruction for oncologic defects is a challenging and rewarding endeavor, and successful outcomes are dependent on a multitude of factors. This study represents lessons learned from a personal prospective experience with 100 consecutive free flaps. Methods: All patients’ medical records were reviewed for demographics, operative notes, and complications. Results: Overall 100 flaps were performed in 84 consecutive patients for reconstruction of breast, head and neck, trunk, and extremity defects. Nineteen patients underwent free flap breast reconstruction with 10 patients undergoing bilateral reconstruction and 2 patients receiving a bipedicle flap for reconstruction of a unilateral breast defect. Sixty-five free flaps were performed in 61 patients with 3 patients receiving 2 free flaps for reconstruction of extensive head and neck defects and 1 patient who required a second flap for partial flap loss. Trunk and extremity reconstruction was less common with 2 free flaps performed in each group. Overall, 19 patients (22.6%) developed complications and 14 required a return to the operating room. There were no flap losses in this cohort. Thorough preoperative evaluation and workup, meticulous surgical technique and intraoperative planning, and diligent postoperative monitoring and prompt intervention are critical for flap success. Conclusions: As a young plastic surgeon embarking in reconstructive plastic surgery at an academic institution, the challenges and dilemmas presented in the first year of practice have been daunting but also represent opportunities for learning and improvement. Skills and knowledge acquired from time, experience, and mentors are invaluable in optimizing outcomes in microvascular free flap reconstruction. PMID:25289221

Meaning Reconstruction among Women following Stillbirth: A Loss Fraught with Ambiguity and Doubt.

PubMed

Golan, Aiya; Leichtentritt, Ronit Dina

2016-08-01

Stillbirth (SB), death of a fetus in late stages of pregnancy or during birth, usually leads to extended and intense grief among women. However, their grief is often disenfranchised and they are denied the social right to mourn their loss. Constructivist theories recently assuming a central place in bereavement studies inform this article, which aims to identify the meaning that women who experience SB ascribe to their loss in general and to the lost figure. This tack may offer the opportunity to examine the consequences of the discrepancy between personal and environmental constructions of this loss on its personal construction and to learn about the essence of the loss. Within the domain of qualitative research, the current article draws on phenomenology and the research method that has emerged from this approach. Specifically, the article focuses on in-depth interviews with 10 women who experienced SB. Its findings suggest that for these women, the lost figure and the loss in general engender ambiguity both internally-that is, within the psyche of women themselves-and externally, within the women's social environment. Thus, ambiguity, uncertainty, and doubt infused women's experience of SB. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. © 2016 National Association of Social Workers.

[The dispute over eugenics in interwar Poland].

PubMed

Kawalec, K

2000-01-01

The eugenic problem seems not as well known as it was in the period between the world wars. The word "eugenics" was introduced into the scientific language by the British biologist, Francis Galton at the end of the XIX century. In general, it means the study of the methods of protecting and improving the quality of the human race by selective breeding. Galton's remarks initiated a wider (social and political) movement, which was active in some countries. The eugenic tendency was visible in American immigration policy before the Great War - making it difficult for people suffering from particular diseases to enter the USA. After the war, the eugenic movement became much stronger. In some countries (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, and over half of the states of the USA) some components of the eugenic programme were introduced into legislation. The eugenic movement also appeared in reconstructed Poland. In 1918 it published it own magazine "Zagadnienia Rasy" (Problems of Human Race), later "Eugenika Polska" (Polish Eugenics). This did not imply however, that interest in the eugenic programme was generally very strong. In fact, it was limited by the influence of the Catholic Church. Another significant factor was lost Polish - German hostility. In the late thirties eugenic slogans lost popularity because of their use in Germany racist policy.

LORAKS makes better SENSE: Phase-constrained partial fourier SENSE reconstruction without phase calibration.

PubMed

Kim, Tae Hyung; Setsompop, Kawin; Haldar, Justin P

2017-03-01

Parallel imaging and partial Fourier acquisition are two classical approaches for accelerated MRI. Methods that combine these approaches often rely on prior knowledge of the image phase, but the need to obtain this prior information can place practical restrictions on the data acquisition strategy. In this work, we propose and evaluate SENSE-LORAKS, which enables combined parallel imaging and partial Fourier reconstruction without requiring prior phase information. The proposed formulation is based on combining the classical SENSE model for parallel imaging data with the more recent LORAKS framework for MR image reconstruction using low-rank matrix modeling. Previous LORAKS-based methods have successfully enabled calibrationless partial Fourier parallel MRI reconstruction, but have been most successful with nonuniform sampling strategies that may be hard to implement for certain applications. By combining LORAKS with SENSE, we enable highly accelerated partial Fourier MRI reconstruction for a broader range of sampling trajectories, including widely used calibrationless uniformly undersampled trajectories. Our empirical results with retrospectively undersampled datasets indicate that when SENSE-LORAKS reconstruction is combined with an appropriate k-space sampling trajectory, it can provide substantially better image quality at high-acceleration rates relative to existing state-of-the-art reconstruction approaches. The SENSE-LORAKS framework provides promising new opportunities for highly accelerated MRI. Magn Reson Med 77:1021-1035, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Functional brain networks reconstruction using group sparsity-regularized learning.

PubMed

Zhao, Qinghua; Li, Will X Y; Jiang, Xi; Lv, Jinglei; Lu, Jianfeng; Liu, Tianming

2018-06-01

Investigating functional brain networks and patterns using sparse representation of fMRI data has received significant interests in the neuroimaging community. It has been reported that sparse representation is effective in reconstructing concurrent and interactive functional brain networks. To date, most of data-driven network reconstruction approaches rarely take consideration of anatomical structures, which are the substrate of brain function. Furthermore, it has been rarely explored whether structured sparse representation with anatomical guidance could facilitate functional networks reconstruction. To address this problem, in this paper, we propose to reconstruct brain networks utilizing the structure guided group sparse regression (S2GSR) in which 116 anatomical regions from the AAL template, as prior knowledge, are employed to guide the network reconstruction when performing sparse representation of whole-brain fMRI data. Specifically, we extract fMRI signals from standard space aligned with the AAL template. Then by learning a global over-complete dictionary, with the learned dictionary as a set of features (regressors), the group structured regression employs anatomical structures as group information to regress whole brain signals. Finally, the decomposition coefficients matrix is mapped back to the brain volume to represent functional brain networks and patterns. We use the publicly available Human Connectome Project (HCP) Q1 dataset as the test bed, and the experimental results indicate that the proposed anatomically guided structure sparse representation is effective in reconstructing concurrent functional brain networks.

Primary Fat Grafting to the Pectoralis Muscle during Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Vidal, Luciano; Hersant, Barbara; Meningaud, Jean Paul

2016-01-01

Background: Latissimus dorsi flap is one of the best options for immediate and delayed breast reconstruction. However, this technique is limited by the tissue volume provided by the flap. To improve breast volume while reducing complications, fat grafting is now very often used in addition to latissimus dorsi flap. To the best of our knowledge, fat grafting was always performed as a second-line surgery, at least a few months after the flap procedure. We aimed to report our experience with an associated breast reconstruction technique combining musculocutaneous latissimus dorsi flap with intrapectoral lipofilling for totally autologous breast reconstruction. Methods: Between September 2014 and January 2015, 20 patients underwent this technique for unilateral autologous breast reconstruction (14 delayed and 6 immediate breast reconstructions). A mean harvested fat volume of 278 ml (range: 190–350 ml) and a mean injected fat volume of 228 ml (range: 170–280 ml) were used. Results: None of the patients experienced complications, such as flap necrosis, breast skin necrosis, hematomas, or infection. One of the patients developed a seroma, which was treated with 3 drainage punctions. Only 2 patients underwent delayed fat grafting procedure. Conclusion: Totally autologous breast reconstruction combining latissimus dorsi flap and intrapectoral fat grafting in the same procedure is a new technique allowing increased breast volume in a single surgery. PMID:27975006

Simultaneous reconstruction of emission activity and attenuation coefficient distribution from TOF data, acquired with external transmission source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panin, V. Y.; Aykac, M.; Casey, M. E.

2013-06-01

The simultaneous PET data reconstruction of emission activity and attenuation coefficient distribution is presented, where the attenuation image is constrained by exploiting an external transmission source. Data are acquired in time-of-flight (TOF) mode, allowing in principle for separation of emission and transmission data. Nevertheless, here all data are reconstructed at once, eliminating the need to trace the position of the transmission source in sinogram space. Contamination of emission data by the transmission source and vice versa is naturally modeled. Attenuated emission activity data also provide additional information about object attenuation coefficient values. The algorithm alternates between attenuation and emission activity image updates. We also proposed a method of estimation of spatial scatter distribution from the transmission source by incorporating knowledge about the expected range of attenuation map values. The reconstruction of experimental data from the Siemens mCT scanner suggests that simultaneous reconstruction improves attenuation map image quality, as compared to when data are separated. In the presented example, the attenuation map image noise was reduced and non-uniformity artifacts that occurred due to scatter estimation were suppressed. On the other hand, the use of transmission data stabilizes attenuation coefficient distribution reconstruction from TOF emission data alone. The example of improving emission images by refining a CT-based patient attenuation map is presented, revealing potential benefits of simultaneous CT and PET data reconstruction.

Playing Detective: Reconstructing Software Architecture from Available Evidence

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-01

information • PostgreSQL (based on POSTGRES [Stonebraker 90]) for model storage • IAPR [Kazman 96c], RMTool [Murphy 95], and Perl for analysis and...720-741. Stonebraker, M.; Rowe, L; & Hirohama, M. ’The Implementation of POSTGRES ." IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering 2,1 (March...Engineering 19,7 (July 1993): 720-741. Stonebraker, M.; Rowe, L; & Hirohama, M. "The Implementation of POSTGRES ." IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and

Knowledge, Choice and Consequence: Reading and Teaching "Hamlet."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baumlin, James S.; Baumlin, Tita French

1990-01-01

Offers a Pyrrhonist reading of "Hamlet." Describes an experiment in teaching that attempts to reconstruct for literature students the prudential-ethical context of human rhetoric, placing "prudentia," or practical wisdom, at the center of their own imaginative involvement. (PRA)

Star Identification Without Attitude Knowledge: Testing with X-Ray Timing Experiment Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ketchum, Eleanor

1997-01-01

As the budget for the scientific exploration of space shrinks, the need for more autonomous spacecraft increases. For a spacecraft with a star tracker, the ability to determinate attitude from a lost in space state autonomously requires the capability to identify the stars in the field of view of the tracker. Although there have been efforts to produce autonomous star trackers which perform this function internally, many programs cannot afford these sensors. The author previously presented a method for identifying stars without a priori attitude knowledge specifically targeted for onboard computers as it minimizes the necessary computer storage. The method has previously been tested with simulated data. This paper provides results of star identification without a priori attitude knowledge using flight data from two 8 by 8 degree charge coupled device star trackers onboard the X-Ray Timing Experiment.

Complications of orbital floor repair with silastic sheet: the skin fistula.

PubMed

Aboh, Ikenna Valentine; Chisci, Glauco; Gennaro, Paolo; Giovannetti, Filippo; Bartoli, Davina; Priore, Paolo; Anelli, Andrea; Iannetti, Giorgio

2013-07-01

Treatment of orbital floor fracture is a subject of great interest in maxillofacial surgery. Many materials have been described for its reconstruction.In this article, the authors report a case of a patient who, 7 years from a previous orbital floor fracture and treatment with silastic sheet, presented herself to their clinic for the failure of the material used for its reconstruction and a skin fistula.Orbital floor repair with silastic sheet is an old method that no one uses anymore, but we still observe cases of late complications with this material. So a fine knowledge of silastic sheet complications is needed for young surgeons.The authors report the case and perform a literature review about the use of more modern biomaterials for orbital floor reconstruction.

Return to National Basketball Association Competition Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament and Fibular Collateral Ligament Injuries: A Case Report.

PubMed

LaPrade, Robert F; O'Brien, Luke; Kennedy, Nicholas I; Cinque, Mark E; Chahla, Jorge

2017-01-01

Numerous outcome studies regarding anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction demonstrate the ability of athletes to return to a high level of play. However, to our knowledge, there is limited literature regarding return to play following injury to both the ACL and the fibular collateral ligament (FCL). We describe the case of a National Basketball Association (NBA) player who sustained a combined ACL and FCL knee injury and subsequently underwent surgical reconstruction of both affected ligaments. He was able to return to a preinjury level of competition at 9 months postoperatively. It is possible for athletes to return to competitive basketball and maintain a high production level following a single-staged reconstruction of both the ACL and the FCL.

Refining metabolic models and accounting for regulatory effects.

PubMed

Kim, Joonhoon; Reed, Jennifer L

2014-10-01

Advances in genome-scale metabolic modeling allow us to investigate and engineer metabolism at a systems level. Metabolic network reconstructions have been made for many organisms and computational approaches have been developed to convert these reconstructions into predictive models. However, due to incomplete knowledge these reconstructions often have missing or extraneous components and interactions, which can be identified by reconciling model predictions with experimental data. Recent studies have provided methods to further improve metabolic model predictions by incorporating transcriptional regulatory interactions and high-throughput omics data to yield context-specific metabolic models. Here we discuss recent approaches for resolving model-data discrepancies and building context-specific metabolic models. Once developed highly accurate metabolic models can be used in a variety of biotechnology applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calibration-free quantitative surface topography reconstruction in scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Faber, E T; Martinez-Martinez, D; Mansilla, C; Ocelík, V; Hosson, J Th M De

2015-01-01

This work presents a new approach to obtain reliable surface topography reconstructions from 2D Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. In this method a set of images taken at different tilt angles are compared by means of digital image correlation (DIC). It is argued that the strength of the method lies in the fact that precise knowledge about the nature of the rotation (vector and/or magnitude) is not needed. Therefore, the great advantage is that complex calibrations of the measuring equipment are avoided. The paper presents the necessary equations involved in the methods, including derivations and solutions. The method is illustrated with examples of 3D reconstructions followed by a discussion on the relevant experimental parameters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perioperative fluid therapy: defining a clinical algorithm between insufficient and excessive.

PubMed

Strunden, Mike S; Tank, Sascha; Kerner, Thoralf

2016-12-01

In the perioperative scenario, adequate fluid and volume therapy is a challenging task. Despite improved knowledge on the physiology of the vascular barrier function and its respective pathophysiologic disturbances during the perioperative process, clear-cut therapeutic principles are difficult to implement. Neglecting the physiologic basis of the vascular barrier and the cardiovascular system, numerous studies proclaiming different approaches to fluid and volume therapy do not provide a rationale, as various surgical and patient risk groups, and different fluid regimens combined with varying hemodynamic measures and variable algorithms led to conflicting results. This review refers to the physiologic basis and answers questions inseparably conjoined to a rational approach to perioperative fluid and volume therapy: Why does fluid get lost from the vasculature perioperatively? Whereto does it get lost? Based on current findings and rationale considerations, which fluid replacement algorithm could be implemented into clinical routine? Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative proton imaging from multiple physics processes: a proof of concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bopp, C.; Rescigno, R.; Rousseau, M.; Brasse, D.

2015-07-01

Proton imaging is developed in order to improve the accuracy of charged particle therapy treatment planning. It makes it possible to directly map the relative stopping powers of the materials using the information on the energy loss of the protons. In order to reach a satisfactory spatial resolution in the reconstructed images, the position and direction of each particle is recorded upstream and downstream from the patient. As a consequence of individual proton detection, information on the transmission rate and scattering of the protons is available. Image reconstruction processes are proposed to make use of this information. A proton tomographic acquisition of an anthropomorphic head phantom was simulated. The transmission rate of the particles was used to reconstruct a map of the macroscopic cross section for nuclear interactions of the materials. A two-step iterative reconstruction process was implemented to reconstruct a map of the inverse scattering length of the materials using the scattering of the protons. Results indicate that, while the reconstruction processes should be optimized, it is possible to extract quantitative information from the transmission rate and scattering of the protons. This suggests that proton imaging could provide additional knowledge on the materials that may be of use to further improve treatment planning.

Finite element method framework for RF-based through-the-wall mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campos, Rafael Saraiva; Lovisolo, Lisandro; de Campos, Marcello Luiz R.

2017-05-01

Radiofrequency (RF) Through-the-Wall Mapping (TWM) employs techniques originally applied in X-Ray Computerized Tomographic Imaging to map obstacles behind walls. It aims to provide valuable information for rescuing efforts in damaged buildings, as well as for military operations in urban scenarios. This work defines a Finite Element Method (FEM) based framework to allow fast and accurate simulations of the reconstruction of floors blueprints, using Ultra High-Frequency (UHF) signals at three different frequencies (500 MHz, 1 GHz and 2 GHz). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first use of FEM in a TWM scenario. This framework allows quick evaluation of different algorithms without the need to assemble a full test setup, which might not be available due to budgetary and time constraints. Using this, the present work evaluates a collection of reconstruction methods (Filtered Backprojection Reconstruction, Direct Fourier Reconstruction, Algebraic Reconstruction and Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction) under a parallel-beam acquisition geometry for different spatial sampling rates, number of projections, antenna gains and operational frequencies. The use of multiple frequencies assesses the trade-off between higher resolution at shorter wavelengths and lower through-the-wall penetration. Considering all the drawbacks associated with such a complex problem, a robust and reliable computational setup based on a flexible method such as FEM can be very useful.

Quantitative proton imaging from multiple physics processes: a proof of concept.

PubMed

Bopp, C; Rescigno, R; Rousseau, M; Brasse, D

2015-07-07

Proton imaging is developed in order to improve the accuracy of charged particle therapy treatment planning. It makes it possible to directly map the relative stopping powers of the materials using the information on the energy loss of the protons. In order to reach a satisfactory spatial resolution in the reconstructed images, the position and direction of each particle is recorded upstream and downstream from the patient. As a consequence of individual proton detection, information on the transmission rate and scattering of the protons is available. Image reconstruction processes are proposed to make use of this information. A proton tomographic acquisition of an anthropomorphic head phantom was simulated. The transmission rate of the particles was used to reconstruct a map of the macroscopic cross section for nuclear interactions of the materials. A two-step iterative reconstruction process was implemented to reconstruct a map of the inverse scattering length of the materials using the scattering of the protons. Results indicate that, while the reconstruction processes should be optimized, it is possible to extract quantitative information from the transmission rate and scattering of the protons. This suggests that proton imaging could provide additional knowledge on the materials that may be of use to further improve treatment planning.

Imaging whole Escherichia coli bacteria by using single-particle x-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Jianwei; Hodgson, Keith O.; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Larabell, Carolyn A.; Legros, Mark A.; Nishino, Yoshinori

2003-01-01

We report the first experimental recording, to our knowledge, of the diffraction pattern from intact Escherichia coli bacteria using coherent x-rays with a wavelength of 2 Å. By using the oversampling phasing method, a real space image at a resolution of 30 nm was directly reconstructed from the diffraction pattern. An R factor used for characterizing the quality of the reconstruction was in the range of 5%, which demonstrated the reliability of the reconstruction process. The distribution of proteins inside the bacteria labeled with manganese oxide has been identified and this distribution confirmed by fluorescence microscopy images. Compared with lens-based microscopy, this diffraction-based imaging approach can examine thicker samples, such as whole cultured cells, in three dimensions with resolution limited only by radiation damage. Looking forward, the successful recording and reconstruction of diffraction patterns from biological samples reported here represent an important step toward the potential of imaging single biomolecules at near-atomic resolution by combining single-particle diffraction with x-ray free electron lasers.

Summer drought reconstruction in northeastern Spain inferred from a tree ring latewood network since 1734

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tejedor, E.; Saz, M. A.; Esper, J.; Cuadrat, J. M.; de Luis, M.

2017-08-01

Drought recurrence in the Mediterranean is regarded as a fundamental factor for socioeconomic development and the resilience of natural systems in context of global change. However, knowledge of past droughts has been hampered by the absence of high-resolution proxies. We present a drought reconstruction for the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula based on a new dendrochronology network considering the Standardized Evapotranspiration Precipitation Index (SPEI). A total of 774 latewood width series from 387 trees of P. sylvestris and P. uncinata was combined in an interregional chronology. The new chronology, calibrated against gridded climate data, reveals a robust relationship with the SPEI representing drought conditions of July and August. We developed a summer drought reconstruction for the period 1734-2013 representative for the northeastern and central Iberian Peninsula. We identified 16 extremely dry and 17 extremely wet summers and four decadal scale dry and wet periods, including 2003-2013 as the driest episode of the reconstruction.

Reconstructing high-dimensional two-photon entangled states via compressive sensing

PubMed Central

Tonolini, Francesco; Chan, Susan; Agnew, Megan; Lindsay, Alan; Leach, Jonathan

2014-01-01

Accurately establishing the state of large-scale quantum systems is an important tool in quantum information science; however, the large number of unknown parameters hinders the rapid characterisation of such states, and reconstruction procedures can become prohibitively time-consuming. Compressive sensing, a procedure for solving inverse problems by incorporating prior knowledge about the form of the solution, provides an attractive alternative to the problem of high-dimensional quantum state characterisation. Using a modified version of compressive sensing that incorporates the principles of singular value thresholding, we reconstruct the density matrix of a high-dimensional two-photon entangled system. The dimension of each photon is equal to d = 17, corresponding to a system of 83521 unknown real parameters. Accurate reconstruction is achieved with approximately 2500 measurements, only 3% of the total number of unknown parameters in the state. The algorithm we develop is fast, computationally inexpensive, and applicable to a wide range of quantum states, thus demonstrating compressive sensing as an effective technique for measuring the state of large-scale quantum systems. PMID:25306850

Successful vaginal delivery at term after vaginal reconstruction with labium minus flaps in a patient with vaginal atresia: A rare case report.

PubMed

Liu, Yu; Wang, Yi-Feng

2017-07-01

We report a case of successful vaginal delivery after vaginal reconstruction with labium minus flaps in a 23-year-old patient with congenital vaginal atresia. The patient primarily presented with amenorrhea and cyclic abdominal pain; transabdominal ultrasonography revealed an enlarged uterus due to hematometra and absence of the lower segment of the vagina. Eight years ago, she had undergone an unsuccessful attempt at canalization at a local hospital. Upon referral to our hospital, she underwent vaginal reconstruction with labium minus flaps. Four months after this procedure, she became pregnant and, subsequently, successfully and safely vaginally delivered a healthy female baby weighing 3250 g at 38 +1 weeks' gestation. The delivery did not involve perineal laceration by lateral episiotomy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful vaginal delivery at term after vaginal reconstruction with labium minus flaps in a patient with vaginal atresia. © 2017 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The use of multimedia as an adjunct to the informed consent process for ankle ligament reconstruction surgery.

PubMed

Batuyong, Eldridge; Birks, Christopher; Beischer, Andrew D

2012-06-01

Obtaining "informed consent" is an integral aspect of surgery that can be fraught with difficulty. This study assessed the efficacy of a multimedia education tool in improving patients' understanding when used as an adjunct to the traditional verbal consent process regarding ankle lateral ligament reconstruction surgery. A total of 56 patients (28 males and 28 females) were recruited with a mean age of 36 years. A standardized verbal discussion regarding surgical treatment was provided to each patient. Understanding was then assessed using a knowledge questionnaire. Subsequently, each patient observed a multimedia educational program following which the knowledge questionnaire was repeated. Additional supplementary questions were then given regarding the ease of understanding and satisfaction with the 2 methods of education delivery. The patients answered 75% of the questions correctly before the multimedia module compared with 88% after it (P < .001). Patients rated the ease of understanding and the amount of information provided by the module highly (9.5 cm and 9.0 cm on a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale scale, respectively), and 61% of patients considered that the multimedia tool performed as well as the treating surgeon. Multimedia tools used in sequence after a verbal consent resulted in improved patient understanding of pertinent information regarding ankle lateral ligament reconstruction surgery. Therapeutic Level II.

Facial soft tissue thickness in skeletal type I Japanese children.

PubMed

Utsuno, Hajime; Kageyama, Toru; Deguchi, Toshio; Umemura, Yasunobu; Yoshino, Mineo; Nakamura, Hiroshi; Miyazawa, Hiroo; Inoue, Katsuhiro

2007-10-25

Facial reconstruction techniques used in forensic anthropology require knowledge of the facial soft tissue thickness of each race if facial features are to be reconstructed correctly. If this is inaccurate, so also will be the reconstructed face. Knowledge of differences by age and sex are also required. Therefore, when unknown human skeletal remains are found, the forensic anthropologist investigates for race, sex, and age, and for other variables of relevance. Cephalometric X-ray images of living persons can help to provide this information. They give an approximately 10% enlargement from true size and can demonstrate the relationship between soft and hard tissue. In the present study, facial soft tissue thickness in Japanese children was measured at 12 anthropological points using X-ray cephalometry in order to establish a database for facial soft tissue thickness. This study of both boys and girls, aged from 6 to 18 years, follows a previous study of Japanese female children only, and focuses on facial soft tissue thickness in only one skeletal type. Sex differences in thickness of tissue were found from 12 years of age upwards. The study provides more detailed and accurate measurements than past reports of facial soft tissue thickness, and reveals the uniqueness of the Japanese child's facial profile.

Searching for harmony: parents' narratives about their child's genital ambiguity and reconstructive genital surgeries in childhood.

PubMed

Sanders, Caroline; Carter, Bernie; Goodacre, Lynne

2011-10-01

This paper is a report of a narrative study of parents' experiences of their child's genital ambiguity and the place reconstructive surgeries have in their lives. Increasingly, the use of early reconstructive genital surgery has come under criticism. Few studies have explored parents' inclusion in the surgical decision-making process, their experiences of their child's surgeries or of parenting a child born with ambiguous genitalia. Narrative interviews about parents' experiences of having and caring for a child of uncertain gender and their rationale for reconstructive surgeries were conducted with 15 parents between October 2004 and February 2006. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed in a narrative analysis framework. Narrative analysis resulted in three increasingly contextual and conceptual levels of stories. Connections between stories gave the basis for the synthesis of the data; interpretation identified three elements of shock, protection and anxiety, which influenced the parents. The parents identified the need for early and ongoing support from healthcare professionals. The parents expected professionals to be knowledgeable about the dilemmas surround disorders of sex development and have experience in managing care for themselves and their child. For the parents seeking a sense of harmony between their child's genital ambiguity and gender during childhood was important. Searching for this harmony became a dynamic and evolving process, which was built on their knowledge and increasing willingness to engage with professionals, negotiate their social worlds, emotional responses and belief systems. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Tissue engineering of ligaments for reconstructive surgery.

PubMed

Hogan, MaCalus V; Kawakami, Yohei; Murawski, Christopher D; Fu, Freddie H

2015-05-01

The use of musculoskeletal bioengineering and regenerative medicine applications in orthopaedic surgery has continued to evolve. The aim of this systematic review was to address tissue-engineering strategies for knee ligament reconstruction. A systematic review of PubMed/Medline using the terms "knee AND ligament" AND "tissue engineering" OR "regenerative medicine" was performed. Two authors performed the search, independently assessed the studies for inclusion, and extracted the data for inclusion in the review. Both preclinical and clinical studies were reviewed, and the articles deemed most relevant were included in this article to provide relevant basic science and recent clinical translational knowledge concerning "tissue-engineering" strategies currently used in knee ligament reconstruction. A total of 224 articles were reviewed in our initial PubMed search. Non-English-language studies were excluded. Clinical and preclinical studies were identified, and those with a focus on knee ligament tissue-engineering strategies including stem cell-based therapies, growth factor administration, hybrid biomaterial, and scaffold development, as well as mechanical stimulation modalities, were reviewed. The body of knowledge surrounding tissue-engineering strategies for ligament reconstruction continues to expand. Presently, various tissue-engineering techniques have some potential advantages, including faster recovery, better ligamentization, and possibly, a reduction of recurrence. Preclinical research of these novel therapies continues to provide promising results. There remains a need for well-designed, high-powered comparative clinical studies to serve as a foundation for successful translation into the clinical setting going forward. Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Fast Variant of 1H Spectroscopic U-FLARE Imaging Using Adjusted Chemical Shift Phase Encoding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebel, Andreas; Dreher, Wolfgang; Leibfritz, Dieter

2000-02-01

So far, fast spectroscopic imaging (SI) using the U-FLARE sequence has provided metabolic maps indirectly via Fourier transformation (FT) along the chemical shift (CS) dimension and subsequent peak integration. However, a large number of CS encoding steps Nω is needed to cover the spectral bandwidth and to achieve sufficient spectral resolution for peak integration even if the number of resonance lines is small compared to Nω and even if only metabolic images are of interest and not the spectra in each voxel. Other reconstruction algorithms require extensive prior knowledge, starting values, and/or model functions. An adjusted CS phase encoding scheme (APE) can be used to overcome these drawbacks. It incorporates prior knowledge only about the resonance frequencies present in the sample. Thus, Nω can be reduced by a factor of 4 for many 1H in vivo studies while no spectra have to be reconstructed, and no additional user interaction, prior knowledge, starting values, or model function are required. Phantom measurements and in vivo experiments on rat brain have been performed at 4.7 T to test the feasibility of the method for proton SI.

Dynamic replanning of 3D automated reconstruction using situation graph trees and illumination adjustment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Sophie; Far, Aïcha Beya; Hirsch, Ernest

2007-01-01

This paper presents an original approach for the optimal 3D reconstruction of manufactured workpieces based on a priori planification of the task, enhanced on-line through dynamic adjustment of the lighting conditions, and built around a cognitive intelligent sensory system using so-called Situation Graph Trees. The system takes explicitely structural knowledge related to image acquisition conditions, type of illumination sources, contents of the scene (e. g., CAD models and tolerance information), etc. into account. The principle of the approach relies on two steps. First, a socalled initialization phase, leading to the a priori task plan, collects this structural knowledge. This knowledge is conveniently encoded, as a sub-part, in the Situation Graph Tree building the backbone of the planning system specifying exhaustively the behavior of the application. Second, the image is iteratively evaluated under the control of this Situation Graph Tree. The information describing the quality of the piece to analyze is thus extracted and further exploited for, e. g., inspection tasks. Lastly, the approach enables dynamic adjustment of the Situation Graph Tree, enabling the system to adjust itself to the actual application run-time conditions, thus providing the system with a self-learning capability.

Efficacy and Safety of Autologous Fat Transfer in Facial Reconstructive Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Krastev, Todor K; Beugels, Jip; Hommes, Juliette; Piatkowski, Andrzej; Mathijssen, Irene; van der Hulst, Rene

2018-03-29

The use of autologous fat transfer (AFT) or lipofilling for correcting contour deformities is seen as one of the major breakthroughs in reconstructive plastic surgery. Its applications in facial reconstructive surgery have been of particular interest owing to the prospect of achieving autologous reconstruction by a minimally invasive approach. However, its unpredictability and variable degree of resorption have limited its utility and much skepticism still exists regarding its efficacy. Furthermore, more than 2 decades of clinical research have produced a highly fragmented body of evidence that has not been able to provide definite answers. To investigate the safety and efficacy of AFT in facial reconstruction through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to October 11, 2017. All published studies investigating the efficacy and safety of AFT in facial reconstructive surgery. Two independent reviewers performed data extraction systematically, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. Summary measures were pooled in a random-effects model meta-analysis. The patient and surgeon satisfaction, graft survival, number of AFT sessions, and the incidence of AFT-related complications were the main outcomes of interest in this meta-analysis. This systematic review resulted in the inclusion 52 relevant studies consisting of 1568 unique patients. These included 4 randomized clinical trials, 11 cohort studies, and 37 case series. The overall follow-up averaged 1.3 years after AFT. Meta-analysis revealed a very high overall patient satisfaction rate of 91.1% (95% CI, 85.1%-94.8%) and overall surgeon satisfaction rate of 88.6% (95% CI, 83.4%-92.4%). The number of AFT sessions required to achieve the desired result was 1.5 (95% CI, 1.3-1.7) and 50% to 60% of the injected volume was retained at 1 year. Only 4.8% (95% CI, 3.3%-6.9%) of procedures resulted in clinical complications. To our knowledge, this study provides the first overview of the current knowledge about AFT in facial reconstructive surgery. Our results confirm that AFT is an effective technique for treating soft-tissue deformities in the head and neck, with low rate of minor complications. NA.

A History of U.S. Navy Airborne and Shipboard Periscope Detection Radar Design and Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

military applications were originally large ground-based units designed, developed, and employed by the British for detecting inbound German aircraft...evaluation (RDT&E) and the operational employment of PDR sensors has involved a rich and proud history of military endeavor. This history is embodied in...retire from the military and civilian workforce, their knowledge base, their memory, and the lessons learned become lost to subsequent generations

Metallic iron for safe drinking water provision: Considering a lost knowledge.

PubMed

Mwakabona, Hezron T; Ndé-Tchoupé, Arnaud Igor; Njau, Karoli N; Noubactep, Chicgoua; Wydra, Kerstin D

2017-06-15

Around year 1890, the technology of using metallic iron (Fe 0 ) for safe drinking water provision was already established in Europe. The science and technology to manufacture suitable Fe 0 materials were known and further developed in this period. Scientists had then developed skills to (i) explore the suitability of individual Fe 0 materials (e.g. iron filling, sponge iron) for selected applications, and (ii) establish treatment processes for households and water treatment plants. The recent (1990) discovery of Fe 0 as reactive agent for environmental remediation and water treatment has not yet considered this ancient knowledge. In the present work, some key aspects of the ancient knowledge are presented together with some contemporised interpretations, in an attempt to demonstrate the scientific truth contained therein. It appears that the ancient knowledge is an independent validation of the scientific concept that in water treatment (Fe 0 /H 2 O system) Fe 0 materials are generators of contaminant collectors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Videotape educational program for people with asthma.

PubMed Central

Moldofsky, H.; Broder, I.; Davies, G.; Leznoff, A.

1979-01-01

A videotape educational program was produced for use in adults with asthma. The program provided an overview of lung function, the physiologic abnormalities and treatment of asthma, and the approach to common problems encountered by the patients. Its benefits were examined in a randomized controlled study. The efficacy of the program in 62 patients whose mean duration of illness was 17 years was assessed by comparing the level of knowledge of the experimental group immediately after viewing the tape with that of the controls, who had not seen it; the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group. Retention of knowledge attributed to the program was assessed after a mean interval of 16 months. The knowledge test score of the experimental group was found to have decreased to the level of the control group. The main areas in which the experimental group lost knowledge were self-care and drug therapy for asthma. The medical status of the two groups did not change appreciably over the period of the study. PMID:436049

A 'cold-case' review of historic aboriginal and European-Australian encounters with toxic blooms of cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Sadgrove, Nicholas John

2012-09-01

Interest in preserving the cultural knowledge of Aboriginal Australians continues to rise. Various studies have erupted which aim to redefine knowledge that was once lost or obscured in writing and hitherto ignored. Recognising and acknowledging the traditional Aboriginal knowledge of the Australian environment helps to strengthen Aboriginal identity and gives credibility to the rising paradigm of ecotechnology in historic pre-European Australia. This review aims to establish knowledge of a traditional awareness of factors leading towards eutrophication in water resource management. Journals from pioneering explorers were examined for evidence of cyanobacterial blooms and examples of Aboriginal water resource management practices that aimed at avoiding health threats from poor water quality. Some cultural practices, focused on water resource management, are discussed with brief mentioned of the Waugal. It is concluded that in some cases the incorporation of scientific laws into mythology is a form of conceptual modelling compatible with science if examined carefully.

Reducing scan angle using adaptive prior knowledge for a limited-angle intrafraction verification (LIVE) system for conformal arc radiotherapy.

PubMed

Zhang, Yawei; Yin, Fang-Fang; Zhang, You; Ren, Lei

2017-05-07

The purpose of this study is to develop an adaptive prior knowledge guided image estimation technique to reduce the scan angle needed in the limited-angle intrafraction verification (LIVE) system for 4D-CBCT reconstruction. The LIVE system has been previously developed to reconstruct 4D volumetric images on-the-fly during arc treatment for intrafraction target verification and dose calculation. In this study, we developed an adaptive constrained free-form deformation reconstruction technique in LIVE to further reduce the scanning angle needed to reconstruct the 4D-CBCT images for faster intrafraction verification. This technique uses free form deformation with energy minimization to deform prior images to estimate 4D-CBCT based on kV-MV projections acquired in extremely limited angle (orthogonal 3°) during the treatment. Note that the prior images are adaptively updated using the latest CBCT images reconstructed by LIVE during treatment to utilize the continuity of the respiratory motion. The 4D digital extended-cardiac-torso (XCAT) phantom and a CIRS 008A dynamic thoracic phantom were used to evaluate the effectiveness of this technique. The reconstruction accuracy of the technique was evaluated by calculating both the center-of-mass-shift (COMS) and 3D volume-percentage-difference (VPD) of the tumor in reconstructed images and the true on-board images. The performance of the technique was also assessed with varied breathing signals against scanning angle, lesion size, lesion location, projection sampling interval, and scanning direction. In the XCAT study, using orthogonal-view of 3° kV and portal MV projections, this technique achieved an average tumor COMS/VPD of 0.4  ±  0.1 mm/5.5  ±  2.2%, 0.6  ±  0.3 mm/7.2  ±  2.8%, 0.5  ±  0.2 mm/7.1  ±  2.6%, 0.6  ±  0.2 mm/8.3  ±  2.4%, for baseline drift, amplitude variation, phase shift, and patient breathing signal variation, respectively. In the CIRS phantom study, this technique achieved an average tumor COMS/VPD of 0.7  ±  0.1 mm/7.5  ±  1.3% for a 3 cm lesion and 0.6  ±  0.2 mm/11.4  ±  1.5% for a 2 cm lesion in the baseline drift case. The average tumor COMS/VPD were 0.5  ±  0.2 mm/10.8  ±  1.4%, 0.4  ±  0.3 mm/7.3  ±  2.9%, 0.4  ±  0.2 mm/7.4  ±  2.5%, 0.4  ±  0.2 mm/7.3  ±  2.8% for the four real patient breathing signals, respectively. Results demonstrated that the adaptive prior knowledge guided image estimation technique with LIVE system is robust against scanning angle, lesion size, location and scanning direction. It can estimate on-board images accurately with as little as 6 projections in orthogonal-view 3° angle. In conclusion, adaptive prior knowledge guided image reconstruction technique accurately estimates 4D-CBCT images using extremely-limited angle and projections. This technique greatly improves the efficiency and accuracy of LIVE system for ultrafast 4D intrafraction verification of lung SBRT treatments.

Evaluation of two 3D virtual computer reconstructions for comparison of cleft lip and palate to normal fetal microanatomy.

PubMed

Landes, Constantin A; Weichert, Frank; Geis, Philipp; Helga, Fritsch; Wagner, Mathias

2006-03-01

Cleft lip and palate reconstructive surgery requires thorough knowledge of normal and pathological labial, palatal, and velopharyngeal anatomy. This study compared two software algorithms and their 3D virtual anatomical reconstruction because exact 3D micromorphological reconstruction may improve learning, reveal spatial relationships, and provide data for mathematical modeling. Transverse and frontal serial sections of the midface of 18 fetal specimens (11th to 32nd gestational week) were used for two manual segmentation approaches. The first manual segmentation approach used bitmap images and either Windows-based or Mac-based SURFdriver commercial software that allowed manual contour matching, surface generation with average slice thickness, 3D triangulation, and real-time interactive virtual 3D reconstruction viewing. The second manual segmentation approach used tagged image format and platform-independent prototypical SeViSe software developed by one of the authors (F.W.). Distended or compressed structures were dynamically transformed. Registration was automatic but allowed manual correction, such as individual section thickness, surface generation, and interactive virtual 3D real-time viewing. SURFdriver permitted intuitive segmentation, easy manual offset correction, and the reconstruction showed complex spatial relationships in real time. However, frequent software crashes and erroneous landmarks appearing "out of the blue," requiring manual correction, were tedious. Individual section thickness, defined smoothing, and unlimited structure number could not be integrated. The reconstruction remained underdimensioned and not sufficiently accurate for this study's reconstruction problem. SeViSe permitted unlimited structure number, late addition of extra sections, and quantified smoothing and individual slice thickness; however, SeViSe required more elaborate work-up compared to SURFdriver, yet detailed and exact 3D reconstructions were created.

A Method for 3D-Reconstruction of a Muscle Thick Filament Using the Tilt Series Images of a Single Filament Electron Tomogram

PubMed Central

Márquez, G.; Pinto, A.; Alamo, L.; Baumann, B.; Ye, F.; Winkler, H.; Taylor, K.; Padrón, R.

2014-01-01

Summary Myosin interacting-heads (MIH) motifs are visualized in 3D-reconstructions of thick filaments from striated muscle. These reconstructions are calculated by averaging methods using images from electron micrographs of grids prepared using numerous filament preparations. Here we propose an alternative method to calculate the 3D-reconstruction of a single thick filament using only a tilt series images recorded by electron tomography. Relaxed thick filaments, prepared from tarantula leg muscle homogenates, were negatively stained. Single-axis tilt series of single isolated thick filaments were obtained with the electron microscope at a low electron dose, and recorded on a CCD camera by electron tomography. An IHRSR 3D-recontruction was calculated from the tilt series images of a single thick filament. The reconstruction was enhanced by including in the search stage dual tilt image segments while only single tilt along the filament axis is usually used, as well as applying a band pass filter just before the back projection. The reconstruction from a single filament has a 40 Å resolution and clearly shows the presence of MIH motifs. In contrast, the electron tomogram 3D-reconstruction of the same thick filament –calculated without any image averaging and/or imposition of helical symmetry- only reveals MIH motifs infrequently. This is –to our knowledge- the first application of the IHRSR method to calculate a 3D reconstruction from tilt series images. This single filament IHRSR reconstruction method (SF-IHRSR) should provide a new tool to assess structural differences between well-ordered thick (or thin) filaments in a grid by recording separately their electron tomograms. PMID:24727133

A method for 3D-reconstruction of a muscle thick filament using the tilt series images of a single filament electron tomogram.

PubMed

Márquez, G; Pinto, A; Alamo, L; Baumann, B; Ye, F; Winkler, H; Taylor, K; Padrón, R

2014-05-01

Myosin interacting-heads (MIH) motifs are visualized in 3D-reconstructions of thick filaments from striated muscle. These reconstructions are calculated by averaging methods using images from electron micrographs of grids prepared using numerous filament preparations. Here we propose an alternative method to calculate the 3D-reconstruction of a single thick filament using only a tilt series images recorded by electron tomography. Relaxed thick filaments, prepared from tarantula leg muscle homogenates, were negatively stained. Single-axis tilt series of single isolated thick filaments were obtained with the electron microscope at a low electron dose, and recorded on a CCD camera by electron tomography. An IHRSR 3D-recontruction was calculated from the tilt series images of a single thick filament. The reconstruction was enhanced by including in the search stage dual tilt image segments while only single tilt along the filament axis is usually used, as well as applying a band pass filter just before the back projection. The reconstruction from a single filament has a 40 Å resolution and clearly shows the presence of MIH motifs. In contrast, the electron tomogram 3D-reconstruction of the same thick filament - calculated without any image averaging and/or imposition of helical symmetry - only reveals MIH motifs infrequently. This is - to our knowledge - the first application of the IHRSR method to calculate a 3D reconstruction from tilt series images. This single filament IHRSR reconstruction method (SF-IHRSR) should provide a new tool to assess structural differences between well-ordered thick (or thin) filaments in a grid by recording separately their electron tomograms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of 3D virtual planning on reconstruction of mandibular and maxillary surgical defects in head and neck oncology.

PubMed

Witjes, Max J H; Schepers, Rutger H; Kraeima, Joep

2018-04-01

This review describes the advances in 3D virtual planning for mandibular and maxillary reconstruction surgical defects with full prosthetic rehabilitation. The primary purpose is to provide an overview of various techniques that apply 3D technology safely in primary and secondary reconstructive cases of patients suffering from head and neck cancer. Methods have been developed to overcome the problem of control over the margin during surgery while the crucial decision with regard to resection margin and planning of osteotomies were predetermined by virtual planning. The unlimited possibilities of designing patient-specific implants can result in creative uniquely applied solutions for single cases but should be applied wisely with knowledge of biomechanical engineering principles. The high surgical accuracy of an executed 3D virtual plan provides tumor margin control during ablative surgery and the possibility of planned combined use of osseus free flaps and dental implants in the reconstruction in one surgical procedure. A thorough understanding of the effects of radiotherapy on the reconstruction, soft tissue management, and prosthetic rehabilitation is imperative in individual cases when deciding to use dental implants in patients who received radiotherapy.

Reconstruction of Consistent 3d CAD Models from Point Cloud Data Using a Priori CAD Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bey, A.; Chaine, R.; Marc, R.; Thibault, G.; Akkouche, S.

2011-09-01

We address the reconstruction of 3D CAD models from point cloud data acquired in industrial environments, using a pre-existing 3D model as an initial estimate of the scene to be processed. Indeed, this prior knowledge can be used to drive the reconstruction so as to generate an accurate 3D model matching the point cloud. We more particularly focus our work on the cylindrical parts of the 3D models. We propose to state the problem in a probabilistic framework: we have to search for the 3D model which maximizes some probability taking several constraints into account, such as the relevancy with respect to the point cloud and the a priori 3D model, and the consistency of the reconstructed model. The resulting optimization problem can then be handled using a stochastic exploration of the solution space, based on the random insertion of elements in the configuration under construction, coupled with a greedy management of the conflicts which efficiently improves the configuration at each step. We show that this approach provides reliable reconstructed 3D models by presenting some results on industrial data sets.

Joint image reconstruction method with correlative multi-channel prior for x-ray spectral computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazantsev, Daniil; Jørgensen, Jakob S.; Andersen, Martin S.; Lionheart, William R. B.; Lee, Peter D.; Withers, Philip J.

2018-06-01

Rapid developments in photon-counting and energy-discriminating detectors have the potential to provide an additional spectral dimension to conventional x-ray grayscale imaging. Reconstructed spectroscopic tomographic data can be used to distinguish individual materials by characteristic absorption peaks. The acquired energy-binned data, however, suffer from low signal-to-noise ratio, acquisition artifacts, and frequently angular undersampled conditions. New regularized iterative reconstruction methods have the potential to produce higher quality images and since energy channels are mutually correlated it can be advantageous to exploit this additional knowledge. In this paper, we propose a novel method which jointly reconstructs all energy channels while imposing a strong structural correlation. The core of the proposed algorithm is to employ a variational framework of parallel level sets to encourage joint smoothing directions. In particular, the method selects reference channels from which to propagate structure in an adaptive and stochastic way while preferring channels with a high data signal-to-noise ratio. The method is compared with current state-of-the-art multi-channel reconstruction techniques including channel-wise total variation and correlative total nuclear variation regularization. Realistic simulation experiments demonstrate the performance improvements achievable by using correlative regularization methods.

Skull Bone Defects Reconstruction with Custom-Made Titanium Graft shaped with Electron Beam Melting Technology: Preliminary Experience in a Series of Ten Patients.

PubMed

Francaviglia, Natale; Maugeri, Rosario; Odierna Contino, Antonino; Meli, Francesco; Fiorenza, Vito; Costantino, Gabriele; Giammalva, Roberto Giuseppe; Iacopino, Domenico Gerardo

2017-01-01

Cranioplasty represents a challenge in neurosurgery. Its goal is not only plastic reconstruction of the skull but also to restore and preserve cranial function, to improve cerebral hemodynamics, and to provide mechanical protection of the neural structures. The ideal material for the reconstructive procedures and the surgical timing are still controversial. Many alloplastic materials are available for performing cranioplasty and among these, titanium still represents a widely proven and accepted choice. The aim of our study was to present our preliminary experience with a "custom-made" cranioplasty, using electron beam melting (EBM) technology, in a series of ten patients. EBM is a new sintering method for shaping titanium powder directly in three-dimensional (3D) implants. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of a skull reconstruction performed by this technique. In a 1-year follow-up no postoperative complications have been observed and good clinical and esthetic outcomes were achieved. Costs higher than those for other types of titanium mesh, a longer production process, and the greater expertise needed for this technique are compensated by the achievement of most complex skull reconstructions with a shorter operative time.

X-ray computed tomography using curvelet sparse regularization.

PubMed

Wieczorek, Matthias; Frikel, Jürgen; Vogel, Jakob; Eggl, Elena; Kopp, Felix; Noël, Peter B; Pfeiffer, Franz; Demaret, Laurent; Lasser, Tobias

2015-04-01

Reconstruction of x-ray computed tomography (CT) data remains a mathematically challenging problem in medical imaging. Complementing the standard analytical reconstruction methods, sparse regularization is growing in importance, as it allows inclusion of prior knowledge. The paper presents a method for sparse regularization based on the curvelet frame for the application to iterative reconstruction in x-ray computed tomography. In this work, the authors present an iterative reconstruction approach based on the alternating direction method of multipliers using curvelet sparse regularization. Evaluation of the method is performed on a specifically crafted numerical phantom dataset to highlight the method's strengths. Additional evaluation is performed on two real datasets from commercial scanners with different noise characteristics, a clinical bone sample acquired in a micro-CT and a human abdomen scanned in a diagnostic CT. The results clearly illustrate that curvelet sparse regularization has characteristic strengths. In particular, it improves the restoration and resolution of highly directional, high contrast features with smooth contrast variations. The authors also compare this approach to the popular technique of total variation and to traditional filtered backprojection. The authors conclude that curvelet sparse regularization is able to improve reconstruction quality by reducing noise while preserving highly directional features.

Planning of skull reconstruction based on a statistical shape model combined with geometric morphometrics.

PubMed

Fuessinger, Marc Anton; Schwarz, Steffen; Cornelius, Carl-Peter; Metzger, Marc Christian; Ellis, Edward; Probst, Florian; Semper-Hogg, Wiebke; Gass, Mathieu; Schlager, Stefan

2018-04-01

Virtual reconstruction of large cranial defects is still a challenging task. The current reconstruction procedures depend on the surgeon's experience and skills in planning the reconstruction based on mirroring and manual adaptation. The aim of this study is to propose and evaluate a computer-based approach employing a statistical shape model (SSM) of the cranial vault. An SSM was created based on 131 CT scans of pathologically unaffected adult crania. After segmentation, the resulting surface mesh of one patient was established as template and subsequently registered to the entire sample. Using the registered surface meshes, an SSM was generated capturing the shape variability of the cranial vault. The knowledge about this shape variation in healthy patients was used to estimate the missing parts. The accuracy of the reconstruction was evaluated by using 31 CT scans not included in the SSM. Both unilateral and bilateral bony defects were created on each skull. The reconstruction was performed using the current gold standard of mirroring the intact to the affected side, and the result was compared to the outcome of our proposed SSM-driven method. The accuracy of the reconstruction was determined by calculating the distances to the corresponding parts on the intact skull. While unilateral defects could be reconstructed with both methods, the reconstruction of bilateral defects was, for obvious reasons, only possible employing the SSM-based method. Comparing all groups, the analysis shows a significantly higher precision of the SSM group, with a mean error of 0.47 mm compared to the mirroring group which exhibited a mean error of 1.13 mm. Reconstructions of bilateral defects yielded only slightly higher estimation errors than those of unilateral defects. The presented computer-based approach using SSM is a precise and simple tool in the field of computer-assisted surgery. It helps to reconstruct large-size defects of the skull considering the natural asymmetry of the cranium and is not limited to unilateral defects.

DAGAN: Deep De-Aliasing Generative Adversarial Networks for Fast Compressed Sensing MRI Reconstruction.

PubMed

Yang, Guang; Yu, Simiao; Dong, Hao; Slabaugh, Greg; Dragotti, Pier Luigi; Ye, Xujiong; Liu, Fangde; Arridge, Simon; Keegan, Jennifer; Guo, Yike; Firmin, David; Keegan, Jennifer; Slabaugh, Greg; Arridge, Simon; Ye, Xujiong; Guo, Yike; Yu, Simiao; Liu, Fangde; Firmin, David; Dragotti, Pier Luigi; Yang, Guang; Dong, Hao

2018-06-01

Compressed sensing magnetic resonance imaging (CS-MRI) enables fast acquisition, which is highly desirable for numerous clinical applications. This can not only reduce the scanning cost and ease patient burden, but also potentially reduce motion artefacts and the effect of contrast washout, thus yielding better image quality. Different from parallel imaging-based fast MRI, which utilizes multiple coils to simultaneously receive MR signals, CS-MRI breaks the Nyquist-Shannon sampling barrier to reconstruct MRI images with much less required raw data. This paper provides a deep learning-based strategy for reconstruction of CS-MRI, and bridges a substantial gap between conventional non-learning methods working only on data from a single image, and prior knowledge from large training data sets. In particular, a novel conditional Generative Adversarial Networks-based model (DAGAN)-based model is proposed to reconstruct CS-MRI. In our DAGAN architecture, we have designed a refinement learning method to stabilize our U-Net based generator, which provides an end-to-end network to reduce aliasing artefacts. To better preserve texture and edges in the reconstruction, we have coupled the adversarial loss with an innovative content loss. In addition, we incorporate frequency-domain information to enforce similarity in both the image and frequency domains. We have performed comprehensive comparison studies with both conventional CS-MRI reconstruction methods and newly investigated deep learning approaches. Compared with these methods, our DAGAN method provides superior reconstruction with preserved perceptual image details. Furthermore, each image is reconstructed in about 5 ms, which is suitable for real-time processing.

Evaluation of the True Wavefront Aberrations in Eyes Implanted With a Rotationally Asymmetric Multifocal Intraocular Lens.

PubMed

Akondi, Vyas; Pérez-Merino, Pablo; Martinez-Enriquez, Eduardo; Dorronsoro, Carlos; Alejandre, Nicolás; Jiménez-Alfaro, Ignacio; Marcos, Susana

2017-04-01

Standard evaluation of aberrations from wavefront slope measurements in patients implanted with a rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lens (IOL), the Lentis Mplus (Oculentis GmbH, Berlin, Germany), results in large magnitude primary vertical coma, which is attributed to the intrinsic IOL design. The new proposed method analyzes aberrometry data, allowing disentangling the IOL power pupillary distribution from the true higher order aberrations of the eye. The new method of wavefront reconstruction uses retinal spots obtained at both the near and far foci. The method was tested using ray tracing optical simulations in a computer eye model virtually implanted with the Lentis Mplus IOL, with a generic cornea or with anterior segment geometry obtained from custom quantitative spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in a real patient. The method was applied to laser ray tracing aberrometry data at near and far fixation obtained in a patient implanted with the Lentis Mplus IOL. Higher order aberrations evaluated from simulated and real retinal spot diagrams following the new reconstruction approach matched the nominal aberrations (approximately 98%). Previously reported primary vertical coma in patients implanted with this IOL lost significance with the application of the proposed reconstruction. Custom analysis of ray tracing-based retinal spot diagrams allowed decoupling of the true higher order aberrations of the patient's eye from the power pupillary distribution of a rotationally asymmetric multifocal IOL, therefore providing the appropriate phase map to accurately evaluate through-focus optical quality. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(4):257-265.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

3D reconstructions of quail-chick chimeras provide a new fate map of the avian scapula.

PubMed

Shearman, Rebecca M; Tulenko, Frank J; Burke, Ann C

2011-07-01

Limbed vertebrates have functionally integrated postcranial axial and appendicular systems derived from two distinct populations of embryonic mesoderm. The axial skeletal elements arise from the paraxial somites, the appendicular skeleton and sternum arise from the somatic lateral plate mesoderm, and all of the muscles for both systems arise from the somites. Recent studies in amniotes demonstrate that the scapula has a mixed mesodermal origin. Here we determine the relative contribution of somitic and lateral plate mesoderm to the avian scapula from quail-chick chimeras. We generate 3D reconstructions of the grafted tissue in the host revealing a very different distribution of somitic cells in the scapula than previously reported. This novel 3D visualization of the cryptic border between somitic and lateral plate populations reveals the dynamics of musculoskeletal morphogenesis and demonstrates the importance of 3D visualization of chimera data. Reconstructions of chimeras make clear three significant contrasts with existing models of scapular development. First, the majority of the avian scapula is lateral plate derived and the somitic contribution to the scapular blade is significantly smaller than in previous models. Second, the segmentation of the somitic component of the blade is partially lost; and third, there are striking differences in growth rates between different tissues derived from the same somites that contribute to the structures of the cervical thoracic transition, including the scapula. These data call for the reassessment of theories on the development, homology, and evolution of the vertebrate scapula. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring in microvascular tissue transfer by measurement of oxygen partial pressure: four years experience with 125 microsurgical transplants.

PubMed

Jonas, René; Schaal, Thomas; Krimmel, Michael; Gülicher, Dirk; Reinert, Siegmar; Hoffmann, Jürgen

2013-06-01

In a prospective study, the characteristics and benefit of an invasive measurement of oxygen partial pressure (pO(2)) with the aid of a polarographic sensor were investigated in 125 microsurgical reconstructions of the head and neck area over a period of 45 months. Measurements were performed over 96 h in eight different types of microsurgically revascularized flaps for extra- and intraoral reconstructions and were evaluated separately for each flap type. Of 125 reconstructions the system indicated malperfusion in 18 cases. Salvage surgery was performed in 17 cases due to venous thrombosis (6 cases), arterial thrombosis (3 cases), a combination of arterial and venous thrombosis (2 cases), rheological problems (3 cases), venous insufficiency by hematoma (2 cases) and kinking of vessels (1 case). In 10 cases salvage surgery was successful, 7 flaps were lost despite salvage surgery. In all these cases, the polarographic probe indicated the necessity of salvage surgery correctly. After 96 h no malperfusion was seen. Postoperatively, a common and characteristic development of the oxygen partial pressure in different types of flaps was seen. Initially, a clear increase of pO(2) could be measured. During 96 h, a slow decrease of pO(2) was observed. In conclusion polarographic measurement of pO(2) can be an excellent apparative supplement for the postoperative clinical control of microsurgically revascularized transplants. In buried flaps, this technique represents the only reliable method for transplant monitoring. Copyright © 2012 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Free Improvisation; Life Expression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Hoon Hong

2011-01-01

This autoethnographic study seeks the value, position and possibilities of free improvisation in the musical field. It explores how embodied knowledge, dialectical exchanges, emotional and intellectual stimulation constructs and reconstructs experiences in various contexts for the free improviser, who is both researcher and actual piano performer.…

The use of a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic sleep-aid (Zolpidem) in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Tompkins, Marc; Plante, Matthew; Monchik, Keith; Fleming, Braden; Fadale, Paul

2011-05-01

Previous studies have addressed post-operative pain management after ACL reconstruction by examining the use of intra-articular analgesia and/or modification of anesthesia techniques. To our knowledge, however, no previous studies have evaluated the effect of zolpidem on post-operative narcotic requirements, pain, and fatigue in patients undergoing outpatient arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. The purpose of this prospective, blinded, randomized, controlled clinical study was to evaluate the effect of zolpidem on post-operative narcotic requirements, pain, and fatigue in patients undergoing outpatient arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. Twenty-nine patients undergoing arthroscopic ACL reconstruction were randomized to a treatment group or placebo group. Both groups received post-operative hydrocodone/acetaminophen bitartrate (Vicodin ES). Patients in the treatment group received a single dose of zolpidem for the first seven post-operative nights. Patients in the placebo group received a gelatin capsule similar in appearance to zolpidem. The amount of Vicodin used in each group, the amount of post-operative pain, and the amount of post-operative fatigue were analyzed. Following ACL reconstruction, a 28% reduction was seen in the total amount of narcotic consumed with zolpidem (P = 0.047) when compared to placebo. There were no significant differences in post-operative pain or fatigue levels between zolpidem and placebo. Adding zolpidem to the post-operative medication regimen after arthroscopic ACL reconstruction helps to lower the amount of narcotic pain medication required for adequate analgesia. Randomized controlled clinical trial, Level I.

Biblio-MetReS: A bibliometric network reconstruction application and server

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Reconstruction of genes and/or protein networks from automated analysis of the literature is one of the current targets of text mining in biomedical research. Some user-friendly tools already perform this analysis on precompiled databases of abstracts of scientific papers. Other tools allow expert users to elaborate and analyze the full content of a corpus of scientific documents. However, to our knowledge, no user friendly tool that simultaneously analyzes the latest set of scientific documents available on line and reconstructs the set of genes referenced in those documents is available. Results This article presents such a tool, Biblio-MetReS, and compares its functioning and results to those of other user-friendly applications (iHOP, STRING) that are widely used. Under similar conditions, Biblio-MetReS creates networks that are comparable to those of other user friendly tools. Furthermore, analysis of full text documents provides more complete reconstructions than those that result from using only the abstract of the document. Conclusions Literature-based automated network reconstruction is still far from providing complete reconstructions of molecular networks. However, its value as an auxiliary tool is high and it will increase as standards for reporting biological entities and relationships become more widely accepted and enforced. Biblio-MetReS is an application that can be downloaded from http://metres.udl.cat/. It provides an easy to use environment for researchers to reconstruct their networks of interest from an always up to date set of scientific documents. PMID:21975133

New paleoclimatic database for the Iberian Peninsula since AD 1700 inferred from tree-ring records and documentary evidence: advances in temperature and drought variability reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tejedor, Ernesto; Ángel Saz, Miguel; de Luis, Martín; Esper, Jan; Barriendos, Mariano; Serrano-Notivoli, Roberto; Novak, Klemen; Longares, Luis Alberto; Martínez-del Castillo, Edurne; María Cuadrat, José

2017-04-01

A substantial increase of surface air temperatures in the upcoming decades, particularly significant in the Mediterranean basin, has been reported by the IPCC (IPCC, 2013). It is therefore particularly important to study past climate extremes and variability in this region, which will in turn support the accuracy of future climate scenarios. Yet, our knowledge of past climate variability and trends is limited by the shortage of instrumental data prior to the twentieth century, which prompts to the need of discovering new sources with which to reconstruct past climate. We here present a new paleoclimatic database for the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula based on tree-ring records, documentary evidence and instrumental data. The network includes 774 tree-ring, earlywood and latewood width series from Pinus uncinata, Pinus sylvestris and Pinus nigra trees in the Pyrenees and Iberian Range reaching back to AD 1510. Three reconstructions are developed using these samples; an annual drought reconstruction since AD 1694, a summer drought reconstruction since AD 1734, and a maximum temperature reconstruction since AD 1604. Additionally, the documentary records from 16 locations in the Ebro Valley are examined focusing on climate-related 'rogations'. We differentiated three types of rogations, considering the importance of religious acts, to identify the severity of drought and pluvial events. Finally, an attempt to explore the links between documentary and tree-ring based reconstructions is presented.

Negative-pressure wound therapy and early pedicle flap reconstruction of the chest wall after epirubicin extravasation.

PubMed

Papadakis, Marios; Rahmanian-Schwarz, Afshin; Bednarek, Marzena; Arafkas, Mohamed; Holschneider, Philipp; Hübner, Gunnar

2017-05-15

Accidental extravasation is a serious iatrogenic injury among patients receiving anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. The aim of this work is to present a combination therapy for chest wall reconstruction following epirubicin extravasation. Herein, we report a 68-year-old woman with massive soft tissue necrosis of the anterolateral chest wall after epirubicin extravasation from a port implanted in the subclavicular area. The necrotic tissue was resected, the port was removed, and negative-pressure wound therapy was applied. Three weeks later, a latissimus dorsi pedicle flap was successfully used to cover the defect. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a strategy comprising the combination of negative-pressure wound therapy and a latissimus pedicle flap for reconstruction of the chest wall after soft tissue necrosis following epirubicin extravasation.

Regional regularization method for ECT based on spectral transformation of Laplacian

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Z. H.; Kan, Z.; Lv, D. C.; Shao, F. Q.

2016-10-01

Image reconstruction in electrical capacitance tomography is an ill-posed inverse problem, and regularization techniques are usually used to solve the problem for suppressing noise. An anisotropic regional regularization algorithm for electrical capacitance tomography is constructed using a novel approach called spectral transformation. Its function is derived and applied to the weighted gradient magnitude of the sensitivity of Laplacian as a regularization term. With the optimum regional regularizer, the a priori knowledge on the local nonlinearity degree of the forward map is incorporated into the proposed online reconstruction algorithm. Simulation experimentations were performed to verify the capability of the new regularization algorithm to reconstruct a superior quality image over two conventional Tikhonov regularization approaches. The advantage of the new algorithm for improving performance and reducing shape distortion is demonstrated with the experimental data.

Towards Robust Self-Calibration for Handheld 3d Line Laser Scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bleier, M.; Nüchter, A.

2017-11-01

This paper studies self-calibration of a structured light system, which reconstructs 3D information using video from a static consumer camera and a handheld cross line laser projector. Intersections between the individual laser curves and geometric constraints on the relative position of the laser planes are exploited to achieve dense 3D reconstruction. This is possible without any prior knowledge of the movement of the projector. However, inaccurrately extracted laser lines introduce noise in the detected intersection positions and therefore distort the reconstruction result. Furthermore, when scanning objects with specular reflections, such as glossy painted or metalic surfaces, the reflections are often extracted from the camera image as erroneous laser curves. In this paper we investiagte how robust estimates of the parameters of the laser planes can be obtained despite of noisy detections.

Ultra-broadband ptychography with self-consistent coherence estimation from a high harmonic source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odstrčil, M.; Baksh, P.; Kim, H.; Boden, S. A.; Brocklesby, W. S.; Frey, J. G.

2015-09-01

With the aim of improving imaging using table-top extreme ultraviolet sources, we demonstrate coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) with relative bandwidth of 20%. The coherence properties of the illumination probe are identified using the same imaging setup. The presented methods allows for the use of fewer monochromating optics, obtaining higher flux at the sample and thus reach higher resolution or shorter exposure time. This is important in the case of ptychography when a large number of diffraction patterns need to be collected. Our microscopy setup was tested on a reconstruction of an extended sample to show the quality of the reconstruction. We show that high harmonic generation based EUV tabletop microscope can provide reconstruction of samples with a large field of view and high resolution without additional prior knowledge about the sample or illumination.

Generation of clinical grade human bone marrow stromal cells for use in bone regeneration

PubMed Central

Robey, Pamela G.; Kuznetsov, Sergei A.; Ren, Jiaqiang; Klein, Harvey G.; Sabatino, Marianna; Stroncek, David F.

2014-01-01

In current orthopaedic practice, there is a need to increase the ability to reconstruct large segments of bone lost due to trauma, resection of tumors and skeletal deformities, or when normal regenerative processes have failed such as in non-unions and avascular necrosis. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, also known as bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells), when used in conjunction with appropriate carriers, represent a means by which to achieve bone regeneration in such cases. While much has been done at the bench and in pre-clinical studies, moving towards clinical application requires the generation of clinical grade cells. What is described herein is an FDA-approved cell manufacturing procedure for the ex vivo expansion of high quality, biologically active human BMSCs. PMID:25064527

Engineering craniofacial structures: facing the challenge.

PubMed

Zaky, S H; Cancedda, R

2009-12-01

The human innate regenerative ability is known to be limited by the intensity of the insult together with the availability of progenitor cells, which may cause certain irreparable damage. It is only recently that the paradigm of tissue engineering found its way to the treatment of irreversibly affected body structures with the challenge of reconstructing the lost part. In the current review, we underline recent trials that target engineering of human craniofacial structures, mainly bone, cartilage, and teeth. We analyze the applied engineering strategies relative to the selection of cell types to lay down a specific targeted tissue, together with their association with an escorting scaffold for a particular engineered site, and discuss their necessity to be sustained by growth factors. Challenges and expectations for facial skeletal engineering are discussed in the context of future treatment.

A knowledge translation project on community-centred approaches in public health.

PubMed

Stansfield, J; South, J

2018-03-01

This article examines the development and impact of a national knowledge translation project aimed at improving access to evidence and learning on community-centred approaches for health and wellbeing. Structural changes in the English health system meant that knowledge on community engagement was becoming lost and a fragmented evidence base was seen to impact negatively on policy and practice. A partnership started between Public Health England, NHS England and Leeds Beckett University in 2014 to address these issues. Following a literature review and stakeholder consultation, evidence was published in a national guide to community-centred approaches. This was followed by a programme of work to translate the evidence into national strategy and local practice.The article outlines the key features of the knowledge translation framework developed. Results include positive impacts on local practice and national policy, for example adoption within National Institute for Health and Care Evidence (NICE) guidance and Local Authority public health plans and utilization as a tool for local audit of practice and commissioning. The framework was successful in its non-linear approach to knowledge translation across a range of inter-connected activity, built on national leadership, knowledge brokerage, coalition building and a strong collaboration between research institute and government agency.

The creative élan of nursing theory: indispensable to leadership.

PubMed

Donohue-Porter, Patricia

2014-10-01

The author discusses how nursing theoretical knowledge contributes to nursing leadership and how the use of nursing theory can build confidence in nurse leaders in all settings, drawing on examples from selected theorists' work. It is suggested that when nursing theory is not fully valued by the profession, not only knowledge is lost but also the language that helps nurses to lead. However, the vision and the voice of nursing theory will allow nurses to lead with creativity and to tap into innovation that facilitates contributions to healthcare. To be firmly, intellectually, and enthusiastically grounded in one's disciplinary knowledge sets the stage to being able to lead effectively. Four aspects of leadership are addressed: clinical, interdisciplinary, nursing education, and interpersonal nursing. Our accumulated nursing theories can help nurse leaders to meet contemporary healthcare challenges by providing answers that help to focus on improvement, patient-centered care, critical reflection, and caring. © The Author(s) 2014.

Lateral ankle instability in high-demand athletes: reconstruction with fibular periosteal flap.

PubMed

Benazzo, Francesco; Zanon, Giacomo; Marullo, Matteo; Rossi, Stefano Marco Paolo

2013-09-01

Fibular periosteal flaps have been used to address chronic lateral ankle instability, but there are no studies in the literature reporting functional outcomes after this particular procedure in high-demand athletes. We postulated that for chronic instability, nonanatomical reconstruction of the lateral ankle ligament with a fibular periosteal flap will return high-demand athletes to their previous levels of activity. Forty patients who had grade III ankle sprain and experienced no success after a course of supervised conservative management lasting at least six months and who had a preinjury Tegner score of ≥ 6 underwent a lateral compartment reconstruction with a fibular periosteal flap. Each patient was given the Tegner and Karlsson questionnaire and was evaluated by the Zwipp method, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score at the six-month, one, two and three-year time points. Range of motion (ROM) of the affected ankle was assessed, and stress X-rays were performed. Mean patient age was 24.5 (range17-30) years, and no patient was lost to follow-up. Mean follow-up was 36 (minimum 18) months, mean Tegner scores at the one, two and three-year time points were 8.8, 8.9 and 8.9, respectively, and mean Karlsson scores were 93 ± 5.2, 95 ± 3.1 and 94.9, respectively. AOFAS and FAOS scores improved from a mean of 69.4 and 71.4, respectively, in the preoperative group to a mean of 97.2 and 94.4, respectively, at the last follow-up. The ROM was equal to the contralateral ankle in all but two patients at the two-year follow-up. No major complications were found. Nonanatomical ligament reconstruction with a fibular periosteal flap for chronic lateral ankle instability was effective in returning high-demand athletes to their preinjury functional levels.

Clinical applications of perforator-based propeller flaps in upper limb soft tissue reconstruction.

PubMed

Ono, Shimpei; Sebastin, Sandeep J; Yazaki, Naoya; Hyakusoku, Hiko; Chung, Kevin C

2011-05-01

A propeller flap is an island flap that moves from one orientation to another by rotating around its vascular axis. The vascular axis is stationary, and flap movement is achieved by revolving on this axis. Early propeller flaps relied on a thick, subcutaneous pedicle to maintain vascularity, and this limited the flap rotation to 90°. With increasing awareness of the location and the vascular territory perfused by cutaneous perforators, it is now possible to design propeller flaps based on a single perforator, so-called "perforator-based propeller flaps." These flaps permit flap rotation up to 180°. We present the results of upper limb soft tissue reconstruction using perforator-based propeller flaps. We constructed a treatment strategy based on the location of the soft tissue defect and the perforator anatomy for expedient wound coverage in 1 stage. All perforator-based propeller flaps derived from 3 institutions that were used for upper limb soft tissue reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed. The parameters studied included the size and location of the defect, the perforator that was used, the size and shape of the flap, the direction (ie, clockwise or counter-clockwise) of flap rotation, the degree of twisting of the perforator, the management of the donor site (ie, linear closure or skin grafting), and flap survival (recorded as the percentage of the flap area that survived). Twelve perforator-based propeller flaps were used to reconstruct upper limb soft tissue defects in 12 patients. Six different perforators were used as vascular pedicles. The donor defects of 11 flaps could be closed primarily. One flap was partially lost in a patient with electrical burns. Perforator-based propeller flaps provide a reliable option for covering small- to medium-size upper limb soft tissue defects. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Strengthening" Ontario Universities: A Neoliberal Reconstruction of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rigas, Bob; Kuchapski, Renée

2016-01-01

This paper reviews neoliberalism as an ideology that has influenced higher education generally and Ontario higher education in particular. It includes a discourse analysis of "Strengthening Ontario's Centres of Creativity, Innovation and Knowledge" (Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, 2012), a government discussion…

Combined Stresses in the Workplace, Survey of State of Published Knowledge.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-01

as function of temp. Gz tol.was not lost if heated and hydrated. Related to changes in retinal blood flow and water balance 19. KEY WOOS P...when baroceptor reflexes have time to act with GOR, these can’t hold cerebral blood flow at * . suitable levels. It. KEY WORDS acceleration...hyponatremia, combined stresses, blood volume, grayout, sodium deprivation, blood flow , interactive responses 20. F40TES OD 0 1473 (MOO.) REPORT DOCUMENTATION

Dynamic network reconstruction from gene expression data applied to immune response during bacterial infection.

PubMed

Guthke, Reinhard; Möller, Ulrich; Hoffmann, Martin; Thies, Frank; Töpfer, Susanne

2005-04-15

The immune response to bacterial infection represents a complex network of dynamic gene and protein interactions. We present an optimized reverse engineering strategy aimed at a reconstruction of this kind of interaction networks. The proposed approach is based on both microarray data and available biological knowledge. The main kinetics of the immune response were identified by fuzzy clustering of gene expression profiles (time series). The number of clusters was optimized using various evaluation criteria. For each cluster a representative gene with a high fuzzy-membership was chosen in accordance with available physiological knowledge. Then hypothetical network structures were identified by seeking systems of ordinary differential equations, whose simulated kinetics could fit the gene expression profiles of the cluster-representative genes. For the construction of hypothetical network structures singular value decomposition (SVD) based methods and a newly introduced heuristic Network Generation Method here were compared. It turned out that the proposed novel method could find sparser networks and gave better fits to the experimental data. Reinhard.Guthke@hki-jena.de.

Active dispersal in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) during the ‘lost years’

PubMed Central

Briscoe, D. K.; Parker, D. M.; Balazs, G. H.; Kurita, M.; Saito, T.; Okamoto, H.; Rice, M.; Polovina, J. J.; Crowder, L. B.

2016-01-01

Highly migratory marine species can travel long distances and across entire ocean basins to reach foraging and breeding grounds, yet gaps persist in our knowledge of oceanic dispersal and habitat use. This is especially true for sea turtles, whose complex life history and lengthy pelagic stage present unique conservation challenges. Few studies have explored how these young at-sea turtles navigate their environment, but advancements in satellite technology and numerical models have shown that active and passive movements are used in relation to open ocean features. Here, we provide the first study, to the best of our knowledge, to simultaneously combine a high-resolution physical forcing ocean circulation model with long-term multi-year tracking data of young, trans-oceanic North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles during their ‘lost years’ at sea. From 2010 to 2014, we compare simulated trajectories of passive transport with empirical data of 1–3 year old turtles released off Japan (29.7–37.5 straight carapace length cm). After several years, the at-sea distribution of simulated current-driven trajectories significantly differed from that of the observed turtle tracks. These results underscore current theories on active dispersal by young oceanic-stage sea turtles and give further weight to hypotheses of juvenile foraging strategies for this species. Such information can also provide critical geographical information for spatially explicit conservation approaches to this endangered population. PMID:27252021

Active dispersal in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) during the 'lost years'.

PubMed

Briscoe, D K; Parker, D M; Balazs, G H; Kurita, M; Saito, T; Okamoto, H; Rice, M; Polovina, J J; Crowder, L B

2016-06-15

Highly migratory marine species can travel long distances and across entire ocean basins to reach foraging and breeding grounds, yet gaps persist in our knowledge of oceanic dispersal and habitat use. This is especially true for sea turtles, whose complex life history and lengthy pelagic stage present unique conservation challenges. Few studies have explored how these young at-sea turtles navigate their environment, but advancements in satellite technology and numerical models have shown that active and passive movements are used in relation to open ocean features. Here, we provide the first study, to the best of our knowledge, to simultaneously combine a high-resolution physical forcing ocean circulation model with long-term multi-year tracking data of young, trans-oceanic North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles during their 'lost years' at sea. From 2010 to 2014, we compare simulated trajectories of passive transport with empirical data of 1-3 year old turtles released off Japan (29.7-37.5 straight carapace length cm). After several years, the at-sea distribution of simulated current-driven trajectories significantly differed from that of the observed turtle tracks. These results underscore current theories on active dispersal by young oceanic-stage sea turtles and give further weight to hypotheses of juvenile foraging strategies for this species. Such information can also provide critical geographical information for spatially explicit conservation approaches to this endangered population. © 2016 The Author(s).

Automatic 3D reconstruction of electrophysiology catheters from two-view monoplane C-arm image sequences.

PubMed

Baur, Christoph; Milletari, Fausto; Belagiannis, Vasileios; Navab, Nassir; Fallavollita, Pascal

2016-07-01

Catheter guidance is a vital task for the success of electrophysiology interventions. It is usually provided through fluoroscopic images that are taken intra-operatively. The cardiologists, who are typically equipped with C-arm systems, scan the patient from multiple views rotating the fluoroscope around one of its axes. The resulting sequences allow the cardiologists to build a mental model of the 3D position of the catheters and interest points from the multiple views. We describe and compare different 3D catheter reconstruction strategies and ultimately propose a novel and robust method for the automatic reconstruction of 3D catheters in non-synchronized fluoroscopic sequences. This approach does not purely rely on triangulation but incorporates prior knowledge about the catheters. In conjunction with an automatic detection method, we demonstrate the performance of our method compared to ground truth annotations. In our experiments that include 20 biplane datasets, we achieve an average reprojection error of 0.43 mm and an average reconstruction error of 0.67 mm compared to gold standard annotation. In clinical practice, catheters suffer from complex motion due to the combined effect of heartbeat and respiratory motion. As a result, any 3D reconstruction algorithm via triangulation is imprecise. We have proposed a new method that is fully automatic and highly accurate to reconstruct catheters in three dimensions.

Survival of a pedicled latissimus dorsi flap in breast reconstruction without a thoracodorsal pedicle.

PubMed

Hartmann, C E A; Branford, O A; Malhotra, A; Chana, J S

2013-07-01

The latissimus dorsi flap, first performed by Tansini in 1892, was popularised for use by Olivari in 1976. The successful transfer of a latissimus dorsi flap during breast reconstruction has previously been thought to be dependent on having an intact thoracodorsal pedicle to ensure flap survival. It is well documented that the flap may also survive on the serratus branch in thoracodorsal pedicle division. We report a case of a 52-year-old female patient who underwent successful delayed breast reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi flap following previous mastectomy and axillary node clearance. Intraoperatively, the thoracodorsal pedicle and serratus branch were found to have been previously divided. On postoperative computer tomographic angiography the thoracodorsal pedicle was shown to be divided together with the serratus branch. The flap was seen to be supplied by the lateral thoracic artery. To our knowledge survival of a pedicled latissimus dorsi flap in breast reconstruction with a vascular supply from this vessel following thoracodorsal pedicle division has not previously been described. Previous thoracodorsal pedicle and serratus branch division may not be an absolute contraindication for the use of the latissimus dorsi flap in breast reconstruction, depending on the results of preoperative Doppler or computer tomographic angiography studies. Copyright © 2012 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction on myocardial late iodine enhancement in computed tomography and comparison with cardiac magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Tanabe, Yuki; Kido, Teruhito; Kurata, Akira; Fukuyama, Naoki; Yokoi, Takahiro; Kido, Tomoyuki; Uetani, Teruyoshi; Vembar, Mani; Dhanantwari, Amar; Tokuyasu, Shinichi; Yamashita, Natsumi; Mochizuki, Teruhito

2017-10-01

We evaluated the image quality and diagnostic performance of late iodine enhancement computed tomography (LIE-CT) with knowledge-based iterative model reconstruction (IMR) for the detection of myocardial infarction (MI) in comparison with late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI). The study investigated 35 patients who underwent a comprehensive cardiac CT protocol and LGE-MRI for the assessment of coronary artery disease. The CT protocol consisted of stress dynamic myocardial CT perfusion, coronary CT angiography (CTA) and LIE-CT using 256-slice CT. LIE-CT scans were acquired 5 min after CTA without additional contrast medium and reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP), a hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR), and IMR. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were assessed. Sensitivity and specificity of LIE-CT for detecting MI were assessed according to the 16-segment model. Image quality scores, and diagnostic performance were compared among LIE-CT with FBP, HIR and IMR. Among the 35 patients, 139 of 560 segments showed MI in LGE-MRI. On LIE-CT with FBP, HIR, and IMR, the median SNRs were 2.1, 2.9, and 6.1; and the median CNRs were 1.7, 2.2, and 4.7, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 56 and 93% for FBP, 62 and 91% for HIR, and 80 and 91% for IMR. LIE-CT with IMR showed the highest image quality and sensitivity (p < 0.05). The use of IMR enables significant improvement of image quality and diagnostic performance of LIE-CT for detecting MI in comparison with FBP and HIR.

Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque Elasticity Reconstruction Based on a Segmentation-Driven Optimization Procedure Using Strain Measurements: Theoretical Framework

PubMed Central

Le Floc’h, Simon; Tracqui, Philippe; Finet, Gérard; Gharib, Ahmed M.; Maurice, Roch L.; Cloutier, Guy; Pettigrew, Roderic I.

2016-01-01

It is now recognized that prediction of the vulnerable coronary plaque rupture requires not only an accurate quantification of fibrous cap thickness and necrotic core morphology but also a precise knowledge of the mechanical properties of plaque components. Indeed, such knowledge would allow a precise evaluation of the peak cap-stress amplitude, which is known to be a good biomechanical predictor of plaque rupture. Several studies have been performed to reconstruct a Young’s modulus map from strain elastograms. It seems that the main issue for improving such methods does not rely on the optimization algorithm itself, but rather on preconditioning requiring the best estimation of the plaque components’ contours. The present theoretical study was therefore designed to develop: 1) a preconditioning model to extract the plaque morphology in order to initiate the optimization process, and 2) an approach combining a dynamic segmentation method with an optimization procedure to highlight the modulogram of the atherosclerotic plaque. This methodology, based on the continuum mechanics theory prescribing the strain field, was successfully applied to seven intravascular ultrasound coronary lesion morphologies. The reconstructed cap thickness, necrotic core area, calcium area, and the Young’s moduli of the calcium, necrotic core, and fibrosis were obtained with mean relative errors of 12%, 4% and 1%, 43%, 32%, and 2%, respectively. PMID:19164080

Atmospheric inverse modeling via sparse reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hase, Nils; Miller, Scot M.; Maaß, Peter; Notholt, Justus; Palm, Mathias; Warneke, Thorsten

2017-10-01

Many applications in atmospheric science involve ill-posed inverse problems. A crucial component of many inverse problems is the proper formulation of a priori knowledge about the unknown parameters. In most cases, this knowledge is expressed as a Gaussian prior. This formulation often performs well at capturing smoothed, large-scale processes but is often ill equipped to capture localized structures like large point sources or localized hot spots. Over the last decade, scientists from a diverse array of applied mathematics and engineering fields have developed sparse reconstruction techniques to identify localized structures. In this study, we present a new regularization approach for ill-posed inverse problems in atmospheric science. It is based on Tikhonov regularization with sparsity constraint and allows bounds on the parameters. We enforce sparsity using a dictionary representation system. We analyze its performance in an atmospheric inverse modeling scenario by estimating anthropogenic US methane (CH4) emissions from simulated atmospheric measurements. Different measures indicate that our sparse reconstruction approach is better able to capture large point sources or localized hot spots than other methods commonly used in atmospheric inversions. It captures the overall signal equally well but adds details on the grid scale. This feature can be of value for any inverse problem with point or spatially discrete sources. We show an example for source estimation of synthetic methane emissions from the Barnett shale formation.

Prior-knowledge Fitting of Accelerated Five-dimensional Echo Planar J-resolved Spectroscopic Imaging: Effect of Nonlinear Reconstruction on Quantitation.

PubMed

Iqbal, Zohaib; Wilson, Neil E; Thomas, M Albert

2017-07-24

1 H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic imaging (SI) is a powerful tool capable of investigating metabolism in vivo from mul- tiple regions. However, SI techniques are time consuming, and are therefore difficult to implement clinically. By applying non-uniform sampling (NUS) and compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction, it is possible to accelerate these scans while re- taining key spectral information. One recently developed method that utilizes this type of acceleration is the five-dimensional echo planar J-resolved spectroscopic imaging (5D EP-JRESI) sequence, which is capable of obtaining two-dimensional (2D) spectra from three spatial dimensions. The prior-knowledge fitting (ProFit) algorithm is typically used to quantify 2D spectra in vivo, however the effects of NUS and CS reconstruction on the quantitation results are unknown. This study utilized a simulated brain phantom to investigate the errors introduced through the acceleration methods. Errors (normalized root mean square error >15%) were found between metabolite concentrations after twelve-fold acceleration for several low concentra- tion (<2 mM) metabolites. The Cramér Rao lower bound% (CRLB%) values, which are typically used for quality control, were not reflective of the increased quantitation error arising from acceleration. Finally, occipital white (OWM) and gray (OGM) human brain matter were quantified in vivo using the 5D EP-JRESI sequence with eight-fold acceleration.

Toward a dose reduction strategy using model-based reconstruction with limited-angle tomosynthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haneda, Eri; Tkaczyk, J. E.; Palma, Giovanni; Iordache, Rǎzvan; Zelakiewicz, Scott; Muller, Serge; De Man, Bruno

2014-03-01

Model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) is an emerging technique for several imaging modalities and appli- cations including medical CT, security CT, PET, and microscopy. Its success derives from an ability to preserve image resolution and perceived diagnostic quality under impressively reduced signal level. MBIR typically uses a cost optimization framework that models system geometry, photon statistics, and prior knowledge of the recon- structed volume. The challenge of tomosynthetic geometries is that the inverse problem becomes more ill-posed due to the limited angles, meaning the volumetric image solution is not uniquely determined by the incom- pletely sampled projection data. Furthermore, low signal level conditions introduce additional challenges due to noise. A fundamental strength of MBIR for limited-views and limited-angle is that it provides a framework for constraining the solution consistent with prior knowledge of expected image characteristics. In this study, we analyze through simulation the capability of MBIR with respect to prior modeling components for limited-views, limited-angle digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) under low dose conditions. A comparison to ground truth phantoms shows that MBIR with regularization achieves a higher level of fidelity and lower level of blurring and streaking artifacts compared to other state of the art iterative reconstructions, especially for high contrast objects. The benefit of contrast preservation along with less artifacts may lead to detectability improvement of microcalcification for more accurate cancer diagnosis.

Towards reconstruction of the lost Late Bronze Age intra-caldera island of Santorini, Greece.

PubMed

Karátson, Dávid; Gertisser, Ralf; Telbisz, Tamás; Vereb, Viktor; Quidelleur, Xavier; Druitt, Timothy; Nomikou, Paraskevi; Kósik, Szabolcs

2018-05-04

During the Late Bronze Age, the island of Santorini had a semi-closed caldera harbour inherited from the 22 ka Cape Riva Plinian eruption, and a central island referred to as 'Pre-Kameni' after the present-day Kameni Islands. Here, the size and age of the intracaldera island prior to the Late Bronze Age (Minoan) eruption are constrained using a photo-statistical method, complemented by granulometry and high-precision K-Ar dating. Furthermore, the topography of Late Bronze Age Santorini is reconstructed by creating a new digital elevation model (DEM). Pre-Kameni and other parts of Santorini were destroyed during the 3.6 ka Minoan eruption, and their fragments were incorporated as lithic clasts in the Minoan pyroclastic deposits. Photo-statistical analysis and granulometry of these lithics, differentiated by lithology, constrain the volume of Pre-Kameni to 2.2-2.5 km 3 . Applying the Cassignol-Gillot K-Ar dating technique to the most characteristic black glassy andesite lithics, we propose that the island started to grow at 20.2 ± 1.0 ka soon after the Cape Riva eruption. This implies a minimum long-term lava extrusion rate of ~0.13-0.14 km 3 /ky during the growth of Pre-Kameni.

Reconstructing the colonization history of lost wolf lineages by the analysis of the mitochondrial genome.

PubMed

Matsumura, Shuichi; Inoshima, Yasuo; Ishiguro, Naotaka

2014-11-01

The grey wolves (Canis lupus) originally inhabited major parts of the Northern hemisphere, but many local populations became extinct. Two lineages of wolves in Japan, namely, Japanese or Honshu (C. l. hodophilax) and Ezo or Hokkaido (C. l. hattai) wolves, rapidly went extinct between 100 and 120years ago. Here we analyse the complete mitochondrial genome sequences from ancient specimens and reconstruct the colonization history of the two extinct subspecies. We show a unique status of Japanese wolves in wolf phylogeny, suggesting their long time separation from other grey wolf populations. Japanese wolves appeared to have colonized the Japanese archipelago in the Late Pleistocene (ca. 25,000-125,000years ago). By contrast, Ezo wolves, which are clearly separated from Japanese wolves in phylogeny, are likely to have arrived at Japan relatively recently (<14,000years ago). Interestingly, their colonization history to Japan tallies well with the dynamics of wolf populations in Europe and America during the last several millennia. Our analyses suggest that at least several thousands of wolves once inhabited in the Japanese archipelago. Our analyses also show that an enigmatic clade of domestic dogs is likely to have originated from rare admixture events between male dogs and female Japanese wolves. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

OCT imaging of craniofacial anatomy in xenopus embryos (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deniz, Engin; Jonas, Stephan M.; Griffin, John; Hooper, Michael C.; Choma, Michael A.; Khokha, Mustafa K.

2016-03-01

The etiology of craniofacial defects is incompletely understood. The ability to obtain large amounts of gene sequence data from families affected by craniofacial defects is opening up new ways to understand molecular genetic etiological factors. One important link between gene sequence data and clinical relevance is biological research into candidate genes and molecular pathways. We present our recent research using OCT as a nondestructive phenotyping modality of craniofacial morphology in Xenopus embryos, an important animal model for biological research in gene and pathway discovery. We define 2D and 3D scanning protocols for a standardized approach to craniofacial imaging in Xenopus embryos. We define standard views and planar reconstructions for visualizing normal anatomy and landmarks. We compare these views and reconstructions to traditional histopathology using alcian blue staining. In addition to being 3D, nondestructive, and having much faster throughout, OCT can identify craniofacial features that are lost during traditional histopathological preparation. We also identify quantitative morphometric parameters to define normative craniofacial anatomy. We also note that craniofacial and cardiac defects are not infrequently present in the same patient (e.g velocardiofacial syndrome). Given that OCT excels at certain aspects of cardiac imaging in Xenopus embryos, our work highlights the potential of using OCT and Xenopus to study molecular genetic factors that impact both cardiac and craniofacial development.

Management of Severe and Complex Hypopharyngeal and/or Laryngotracheal Stenoses by Various Open Surgical Procedures: A Retrospective Study of Seventeen Patients.

PubMed

Chen, Wenxian; Gao, Pengfei; Cui, Pengcheng; Ruan, Yanyan; Liu, Zhi; Sun, Yongzhu; Bian, Ka

2016-01-01

To systematically study various surgical approaches for treating complex hypopharyngeal and/or laryngotracheal stenoses at a variety of sites and levels. We retrospectively analyzed the treatment of 17 patients with severe and complex hypopharyngeal and/or laryngotracheal stenosis at various sites and levels of severity. All of the 17 patients initially had a tracheostomy. Thirteen had failed the previous laser lysis and/or dilation treatment. Given the high severity and complexity of stenosis, all of these patients were treated by open surgical reconstruction techniques using repairing grafts (flaps), followed by stenting. Thirteen of 17 patients had successful decannulation 1-8 months post-operation and had stable airway and adequate vocal and swallow function. Two patients with complex hypopharyngeal and esophageal stenosis had unsuccessful decannulation. Follow-up was lost in 1 patient with complex hypopharyngeal and esophageal stenosis and 1 patient with original hypopharyngeal stenosis and recurrent thoracotracheal stenosis. Despite the failure by the regular treatments using laser lysis and/or dilation therapy, severe and complex hypopharyngeal and/or laryngotracheal stenosis may be successfully treated by variable open surgical reconstruction techniques using different grafts (flaps) depending on the site and severity of the stenosis. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A normal tissue dose response model of dynamic repair processes.

PubMed

Alber, Markus; Belka, Claus

2006-01-07

A model is presented for serial, critical element complication mechanisms for irradiated volumes from length scales of a few millimetres up to the entire organ. The central element of the model is the description of radiation complication as the failure of a dynamic repair process. The nature of the repair process is seen as reestablishing the structural organization of the tissue, rather than mere replenishment of lost cells. The interactions between the cells, such as migration, involved in the repair process are assumed to have finite ranges, which limits the repair capacity and is the defining property of a finite-sized reconstruction unit. Since the details of the repair processes are largely unknown, the development aims to make the most general assumptions about them. The model employs analogies and methods from thermodynamics and statistical physics. An explicit analytical form of the dose response of the reconstruction unit for total, partial and inhomogeneous irradiation is derived. The use of the model is demonstrated with data from animal spinal cord experiments and clinical data about heart, lung and rectum. The three-parameter model lends a new perspective to the equivalent uniform dose formalism and the established serial and parallel complication models. Its implications for dose optimization are discussed.

Imaging of noncarious cervical lesions by means of a fast swept source optical coherence tomography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoica, Eniko T.; Marcauteanu, Corina; Bradu, Adrian; Sinescu, Cosmin; Topala, Florin Ionel; Negrutiu, Meda Lavinia; Duma, Virgil Florin; Podoleanu, Adrian Gh.

2014-01-01

Non-carious cervical lesions (NCCL) are defined as the loss of tooth substance at the cemento-enamel junction and are caused by abrasion, erosion and/or occlusal overload. In this paper we proved that our fast swept source OCT system is a valuable tool to track the evolution of NCCL lesions in time. On several extracted bicuspids, four levels of NCCL were artificially created. After every level of induced lesion, OCT scanning was performed. B scans were acquired and 3D reconstructions were generated. The swept source OCT instrument used in this study has a central wavelength of 1050 nm, a sweeping range of 106 nm (measured at 10 dB), an average output power of 16 mW and a sweeping rate of 100 kHz. A depth resolution determined by the swept source of 12 μm in air was experimentally obtained. NCCL were measured on the B-scans as 2D images and 3D reconstructions (volumes). For quantitative evaluations of volumes, the Image J software was used. By calculating the areas of the amount of lost tissue corresponding to each difference of Bscans, the final volumes of NCCL were obtained. This swept source OCT method allows the dynamic diagnosis of NCCL in time.

Analysis of dental injuries with clinical implications: A forensic case report.

PubMed

Tan, Si-Lei; Peng, Shu-Ya; Wan, Lei; Chen, Jie-Min; Xia, Wen-Tao

2018-01-01

Dental injuries, especially of the incisors, caused by punches in violent criminal attacks could be seen in daily forensic casework involving the identification of injuries to a living body. Sometimes, when there is neither circumstantial evidence nor information about the surrounding circumstances, it is difficult to discern the cause of these injuries and the manner in which they were inflicted. As an example of clinical forensic medicine, we present the case of a 58-year-old woman whose teeth were injured when fighting with her son-in-law over household affairs with no witnesses present. The two parties had conflicting stories about the cause of the woman's injury. The woman claimed that her teeth were lost while she was being beaten by her son-in-law, and the man argued that the damage to his mother-in-law's teeth was self-inflicted when she bit his fingers. The police attending the crime called for a forensic examination. Forensic practitioners analysed the mechanism of the tooth loss using multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) and imaging reconstruction technology. Local alveolar bone (medial alveolar) fracture and a small area of alveolar bone loss were found on MSCT. Thus, forensic medical experts speculated that the woman's lower central and lateral incisors were lost as a result of a violent attack and were not self-inflicted. Finally, forensic practitioners helped police in avoiding a miscarriage of justice and wrongful conviction.

Reconstructing a lost tradition: the philosophy of medical education in an age of reform.

PubMed

Martin, Christopher

2013-01-01

At the 100th anniversary of Abraham Flexner's landmark report on medical education, critical reassessment of the direction of medical education reform evinced valuable interdisciplinary contributions from biomedicine, sociology, psychology and education theory. However, to date, philosophy has been absent from the discussion despite its long standing contribution to studies on education in other professions. This discussion paper examines how the philosophical tradition can contribute to scholarship in medical education. It begins with an explanation of the scholarly tradition of philosophy of education and its role in thinking in education more generally. It then makes links between this tradition and the context of medical education in the Flexner era of education reform. The paper then argues that this tradition is necessary to the understanding of medical education reform post-Flexner and that doctors must benefit from an education derived from this tradition in order to be able to carry out their work. These foundations are characterised as a hidden, but always present, tradition in medical education. Two ways in which this 'lost tradition' can inform medical education theory and practice are identified: firstly, by the establishment of a public canon of medical education texts that express such a tradition, and, secondly, by the incorporation of a variety of 'signature pedagogies' exemplary of liberal education. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2013.

Compensation of missing wedge effects with sequential statistical reconstruction in electron tomography.

PubMed

Paavolainen, Lassi; Acar, Erman; Tuna, Uygar; Peltonen, Sari; Moriya, Toshio; Soonsawad, Pan; Marjomäki, Varpu; Cheng, R Holland; Ruotsalainen, Ulla

2014-01-01

Electron tomography (ET) of biological samples is used to study the organization and the structure of the whole cell and subcellular complexes in great detail. However, projections cannot be acquired over full tilt angle range with biological samples in electron microscopy. ET image reconstruction can be considered an ill-posed problem because of this missing information. This results in artifacts, seen as the loss of three-dimensional (3D) resolution in the reconstructed images. The goal of this study was to achieve isotropic resolution with a statistical reconstruction method, sequential maximum a posteriori expectation maximization (sMAP-EM), using no prior morphological knowledge about the specimen. The missing wedge effects on sMAP-EM were examined with a synthetic cell phantom to assess the effects of noise. An experimental dataset of a multivesicular body was evaluated with a number of gold particles. An ellipsoid fitting based method was developed to realize the quantitative measures elongation and contrast in an automated, objective, and reliable way. The method statistically evaluates the sub-volumes containing gold particles randomly located in various parts of the whole volume, thus giving information about the robustness of the volume reconstruction. The quantitative results were also compared with reconstructions made with widely-used weighted backprojection and simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique methods. The results showed that the proposed sMAP-EM method significantly suppresses the effects of the missing information producing isotropic resolution. Furthermore, this method improves the contrast ratio, enhancing the applicability of further automatic and semi-automatic analysis. These improvements in ET reconstruction by sMAP-EM enable analysis of subcellular structures with higher three-dimensional resolution and contrast than conventional methods.

Reconstruction of signals with unknown spectra in information field theory with parameter uncertainty

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ensslin, Torsten A.; Frommert, Mona

2011-05-15

The optimal reconstruction of cosmic metric perturbations and other signals requires knowledge of their power spectra and other parameters. If these are not known a priori, they have to be measured simultaneously from the same data used for the signal reconstruction. We formulate the general problem of signal inference in the presence of unknown parameters within the framework of information field theory. To solve this, we develop a generic parameter-uncertainty renormalized estimation (PURE) technique. As a concrete application, we address the problem of reconstructing Gaussian signals with unknown power-spectrum with five different approaches: (i) separate maximum-a-posteriori power-spectrum measurement and subsequentmore » reconstruction, (ii) maximum-a-posteriori reconstruction with marginalized power-spectrum, (iii) maximizing the joint posterior of signal and spectrum, (iv) guessing the spectrum from the variance in the Wiener-filter map, and (v) renormalization flow analysis of the field-theoretical problem providing the PURE filter. In all cases, the reconstruction can be described or approximated as Wiener-filter operations with assumed signal spectra derived from the data according to the same recipe, but with differing coefficients. All of these filters, except the renormalized one, exhibit a perception threshold in case of a Jeffreys prior for the unknown spectrum. Data modes with variance below this threshold do not affect the signal reconstruction at all. Filter (iv) seems to be similar to the so-called Karhune-Loeve and Feldman-Kaiser-Peacock estimators for galaxy power spectra used in cosmology, which therefore should also exhibit a marginal perception threshold if correctly implemented. We present statistical performance tests and show that the PURE filter is superior to the others, especially if the post-Wiener-filter corrections are included or in case an additional scale-independent spectral smoothness prior can be adopted.« less

Integration of prior CT into CBCT reconstruction for improved image quality via reconstruction of difference: first patient studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hao; Gang, Grace J.; Lee, Junghoon; Wong, John; Stayman, J. Webster

2017-03-01

Purpose: There are many clinical situations where diagnostic CT is used for an initial diagnosis or treatment planning, followed by one or more CBCT scans that are part of an image-guided intervention. Because the high-quality diagnostic CT scan is a rich source of patient-specific anatomical knowledge, this provides an opportunity to incorporate the prior CT image into subsequent CBCT reconstruction for improved image quality. We propose a penalized-likelihood method called reconstruction of difference (RoD), to directly reconstruct differences between the CBCT scan and the CT prior. In this work, we demonstrate the efficacy of RoD with clinical patient datasets. Methods: We introduce a data processing workflow using the RoD framework to reconstruct anatomical changes between the prior CT and current CBCT. This workflow includes processing steps to account for non-anatomical differences between the two scans including 1) scatter correction for CBCT datasets due to increased scatter fractions in CBCT data; 2) histogram matching for attenuation variations between CT and CBCT; and 3) registration for different patient positioning. CBCT projection data and CT planning volumes for two radiotherapy patients - one abdominal study and one head-and-neck study - were investigated. Results: In comparisons between the proposed RoD framework and more traditional FDK and penalized-likelihood reconstructions, we find a significant improvement in image quality when prior CT information is incorporated into the reconstruction. RoD is able to provide additional low-contrast details while correctly incorporating actual physical changes in patient anatomy. Conclusions: The proposed framework provides an opportunity to either improve image quality or relax data fidelity constraints for CBCT imaging when prior CT studies of the same patient are available. Possible clinical targets include CBCT image-guided radiotherapy and CBCT image-guided surgeries.

Lessons learned from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database: has centralized data collection improved immediate breast reconstruction outcomes and safety?

PubMed

Wang, Frederick; Koltz, Peter F; Sbitany, Hani

2014-11-01

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was implemented to longitudinally track surgical 30-day surgical outcomes and complications. The authors analyze the program-reported outcomes for immediate breast reconstruction from 2007 to 2011, to assess whether longitudinal data collection has improved national outcomes and to highlight areas in need of continued improvement. The authors reviewed the database from 2007 to 2011 and identified encounters for immediate breast reconstruction using Current Procedural Terminology codes for prosthetic and autologous reconstruction. Demographics and comorbidities were tabulated for all patients. Postoperative complications analyzed included surgical-site infection, wound dehiscence, implant or flap loss, pulmonary embolism, and respiratory infections. A total of 15,978 patients underwent mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. Fewer smokers underwent immediate reconstruction over time (p=0.126), whereas more obese patients (p=0.001) and American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 and 4 patients (p<0.001) underwent surgery. An overall increase in superficial surgical-site infection was noted, from 1.7 percent to 2.3 percent (p=0.214). Wound dehiscence (p=0.036) increased over time, whereas implant loss (p=0.015) and flap loss (p=0.012) decreased over time. Mean operative times increased over the analyzed years, as did all complications for prosthetic and autologous reconstruction. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data set has shown an increase in complications for immediate breast reconstruction over time, because of a longitudinally higher number of comorbid patients and longer operative times. This knowledge allows plastic surgeons the unique opportunity to improve patient selection criteria and efficiency. Therapeutic, III.

Direct Reconstruction of CT-Based Attenuation Correction Images for PET With Cluster-Based Penalties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Soo Mee; Alessio, Adam M.; De Man, Bruno; Kinahan, Paul E.

2017-03-01

Extremely low-dose (LD) CT acquisitions used for PET attenuation correction have high levels of noise and potential bias artifacts due to photon starvation. This paper explores the use of a priori knowledge for iterative image reconstruction of the CT-based attenuation map. We investigate a maximum a posteriori framework with cluster-based multinomial penalty for direct iterative coordinate decent (dICD) reconstruction of the PET attenuation map. The objective function for direct iterative attenuation map reconstruction used a Poisson log-likelihood data fit term and evaluated two image penalty terms of spatial and mixture distributions. The spatial regularization is based on a quadratic penalty. For the mixture penalty, we assumed that the attenuation map may consist of four material clusters: air + background, lung, soft tissue, and bone. Using simulated noisy sinogram data, dICD reconstruction was performed with different strengths of the spatial and mixture penalties. The combined spatial and mixture penalties reduced the root mean squared error (RMSE) by roughly two times compared with a weighted least square and filtered backprojection reconstruction of CT images. The combined spatial and mixture penalties resulted in only slightly lower RMSE compared with a spatial quadratic penalty alone. For direct PET attenuation map reconstruction from ultra-LD CT acquisitions, the combination of spatial and mixture penalties offers regularization of both variance and bias and is a potential method to reconstruct attenuation maps with negligible patient dose. The presented results, using a best-case histogram suggest that the mixture penalty does not offer a substantive benefit over conventional quadratic regularization and diminishes enthusiasm for exploring future application of the mixture penalty.

The emotional and reconstructive determinants of emotional memories: an experimental approach to flashbulb memory investigation.

PubMed

Lanciano, Tiziana; Curci, Antonietta; Semin, Gun R

2010-07-01

Flashbulb memories (FBMs) are vivid and detailed memories of the reception context of a public emotional event. Brown and Kulik (1977) introduced the label FBM to suggest the idea that individuals are able to preserve knowledge of an event in an indiscriminate way, in analogy with a photograph that preserves all details of a scene. Research work on FBMs has primarily been conducted using a naturalistic approach in order to explore the role of the emotional and reconstructive factors on FBM formation and maintenance. Nevertheless, these studies lack a sufficient control on the factors that might intervene in the process of FBM formation. The contribution of the present studies is addressed to experimentally investigating the role of emotional and reconstructive factors on emotionally charged memories, specifically on FBMs. Paralleling FBM findings, the two studies revealed that simply being in an emotional state allows people to remember all available information, such as irrelevant and unrelated details. Furthermore, the resulting memories are affected by reconstructive processes so that they are not as accurate as their richness of details would suggest.

Petrosectomies for invasive tumours: surgery and reconstruction.

PubMed

Malata, C M; Cooter, R D; Towns, G M; Batchelor, A G

1996-09-01

Tumours involving the temporal bone have historically carried a bad prognosis. The only prospect of cure is radical en bloc resection. Temporal bone resection for malignancies is, however, such a formidable undertaking that many centres label such tumours as unresectable. Additionally, the enormity of the surgical defect poses a major reconstructive challenge. A review of 14 petrosectomies (in 12 males and 2 females) performed for extensively invasive neoplasms in and around the ear is presented. All underwent immediate reconstruction, the majority (12/14) with free tissue transfers. 9 of the 14 patients (64%) are still alive after a mean follow-up of 70 months (range 4-8 years). With the use of free tissue transfers, an aggressive approach with regard to the resection margins can safely be adopted in the full knowledge that the eventual size of the defect need not compromise tumour clearance. Additionally, free flaps provided a reliable dural seal. This approach of radical en bloc resection with free flap reconstruction has decreased the mortality (compared to the literature), while largely reducing the morbidity to that of unavoidable cranial nerve resection.

Singular value decomposition metrics show limitations of detector design in diffuse fluorescence tomography

PubMed Central

Leblond, Frederic; Tichauer, Kenneth M.; Pogue, Brian W.

2010-01-01

The spatial resolution and recovered contrast of images reconstructed from diffuse fluorescence tomography data are limited by the high scattering properties of light propagation in biological tissue. As a result, the image reconstruction process can be exceedingly vulnerable to inaccurate prior knowledge of tissue optical properties and stochastic noise. In light of these limitations, the optimal source-detector geometry for a fluorescence tomography system is non-trivial, requiring analytical methods to guide design. Analysis of the singular value decomposition of the matrix to be inverted for image reconstruction is one potential approach, providing key quantitative metrics, such as singular image mode spatial resolution and singular data mode frequency as a function of singular mode. In the present study, these metrics are used to analyze the effects of different sources of noise and model errors as related to image quality in the form of spatial resolution and contrast recovery. The image quality is demonstrated to be inherently noise-limited even when detection geometries were increased in complexity to allow maximal tissue sampling, suggesting that detection noise characteristics outweigh detection geometry for achieving optimal reconstructions. PMID:21258566

Model-assisted development of a laminography inspection system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandin, R.; Gray, J.

2012-05-01

Traditional computed tomography (CT) is an effective method of determining the internal structure of an object through non-destructive means; however, inspection of certain objects, such as those with planar geometrics or with limited access, requires an alternate approach. An alternative is laminography and has been the focus of a number of researchers in the past decade for both medical and industrial inspections. Many research efforts rely on geometrically-simple analytical models, such as the Shepp-Logan phantom, for the development of their algorithms. Recent work at the Center for Non-Destructive Evaluation makes extensive use of a forward model, XRSIM, to study artifacts arising from the reconstruction method, the effects of complex geometries and known issues such as high density features on the laminography reconstruction process. The use of a model provides full knowledge of all aspects of the geometry and provides a means to quantitatively evaluate the impact of methods designed to reduce artifacts generated by the reconstruction methods or that are result of the part geometry. We will illustrate the use of forward simulations to quantitatively assess reconstruction algorithm development and artifact reduction.

An automated 3D reconstruction method of UAV images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jun; Wang, He; Liu, Xiaoyang; Li, Feng; Sun, Guangtong; Song, Ping

2015-10-01

In this paper a novel fully automated 3D reconstruction approach based on low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAVs) images will be presented, which does not require previous camera calibration or any other external prior knowledge. Dense 3D point clouds are generated by integrating orderly feature extraction, image matching, structure from motion (SfM) and multi-view stereo (MVS) algorithms, overcoming many of the cost, time limitations of rigorous photogrammetry techniques. An image topology analysis strategy is introduced to speed up large scene reconstruction by taking advantage of the flight-control data acquired by UAV. Image topology map can significantly reduce the running time of feature matching by limiting the combination of images. A high-resolution digital surface model of the study area is produced base on UAV point clouds by constructing the triangular irregular network. Experimental results show that the proposed approach is robust and feasible for automatic 3D reconstruction of low-altitude UAV images, and has great potential for the acquisition of spatial information at large scales mapping, especially suitable for rapid response and precise modelling in disaster emergency.

Isobaric Reconstruction of the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xin; Yu, Hao-Ran; Zhu, Hong-Ming; Yu, Yu; Pan, Qiaoyin; Pen, Ue-Li

2017-06-01

In this Letter, we report a significant recovery of the linear baryonic acoustic oscillation (BAO) signature by applying the isobaric reconstruction algorithm to the nonlinear matter density field. Assuming only the longitudinal component of the displacement being cosmologically relevant, this algorithm iteratively solves the coordinate transform between the Lagrangian and Eulerian frames without requiring any specific knowledge of the dynamics. For dark matter field, it produces the nonlinear displacement potential with very high fidelity. The reconstruction error at the pixel level is within a few percent and is caused only by the emergence of the transverse component after the shell-crossing. As it circumvents the strongest nonlinearity of the density evolution, the reconstructed field is well described by linear theory and immune from the bulk-flow smearing of the BAO signature. Therefore, this algorithm could significantly improve the measurement accuracy of the sound horizon scale s. For a perfect large-scale structure survey at redshift zero without Poisson or instrumental noise, the fractional error {{Δ }}s/s is reduced by a factor of ˜2.7, very close to the ideal limit with the linear power spectrum and Gaussian covariance matrix.

The Sin of Science: Ignorance of Ignorance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravetz, Jerome R.

1993-01-01

Considers the idea of ignorance of ignorance in the scientific culture. Topics discussed include a historical background of ignorance in science, including the ideas of Socrates, Galileo, Descartes, and Bacon; teaching and practice; and philosophical reconstruction and the relationship between knowledge and ignorance. (Contains six references.)…

Reconstructing the Pupils Attitude towards Technology-Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ardies, Jan; De Maeyer, Sven; Gijbels, David

2013-01-01

In knowledge based economies technological literacy is gaining interest. Technological literacy correlates with attitude towards technology. When measuring technological literacy as an outcome of education, the attitudinal dimension has to be taken into account. This requires a valid, reliable instrument that should be as concise as possible, in…

Authentic Game-Based Learning and Teachers' Dilemmas in Reconstructing Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chee, Yam San; Mehrotra, Swati; Ong, Jing Chuan

2015-01-01

Teachers who attempt pedagogical innovation with authentic digital games face significant challenges because such games instantiate open systems of learner activity, inviting enquiry learning rather than knowledge acquisition. However, school environments are normatively sanctioned cultural spaces where direct instruction and high-stakes tests are…

LDRD Annual Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sweany, Melinda

2017-10-01

This is a high-risk effort to leverage knowledge gained from previous work, which focused on detector development leading to better energy resolution and reconstruction errors. This work seeks to enable applications that require precise elemental characterization of materials, such as chemical munitions remediation, offering the potential to close current detection gaps.

Literacy at Calhoun Colored School, 1892-1945.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Arlette Ingram

2002-01-01

Examines the historical experiences and struggles of African Americans seeking literacy access during the post Reconstruction Era. Reveals interconnections of power/knowledge relations and discursive practices of the Hampton-Tuskegee model of education that shaped literacy access and opportunity; and these discursive practices framed the school's…

Prolapse-related knowledge and attitudes toward the uterus in women with pelvic organ prolapse symptoms.

PubMed

Good, Meadow M; Korbly, Nicole; Kassis, Nadine C; Richardson, Monica L; Book, Nicole M; Yip, Sallis; Saguan, Docile; Gross, Carey; Evans, Janelle; Harvie, Heidi S; Sung, Vivian

2013-11-01

The objective of the study was to describe the basic knowledge about prolapse and attitudes regarding the uterus in women seeking care for prolapse symptoms. This was a cross-sectional study of English-speaking women presenting with prolapse symptoms. Patients completed a self-administered questionnaire that included 5 prolapse-related knowledge items and 6 benefit-of-uterus attitude items; higher scores indicated greater knowledge or more positive perception of the uterus. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. A total of 213 women were included. The overall mean knowledge score was 2.2 ± 1.1 (range, 0-5); 44% of the items were answered correctly. Participants correctly responded that surgery (79.8%), pessary (55.4%), and pelvic muscle exercises (34.3%) were prolapse treatment options. Prior evaluation by a female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery specialist (beta = 0.57, P = .001) and higher education (beta = 0.3, P = .07) was associated with a higher mean knowledge score. For attitude items, the overall mean score was 15.1 (4.7; range, 6-30). A total of 47.4% disagreed with the statement that the uterus is important for sex. The majority disagreed with the statement that the uterus is important for a sense of self (60.1%); that hysterectomy would make me feel less feminine (63.9%); and that hysterectomy would make me feel less whole (66.7%). Previous consultation with a female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery specialist was associated with a higher mean benefit of uterus score (beta = 1.82, P = .01). Prolapse-related knowledge is low in women seeking care for prolapse symptoms. The majority do not believe the uterus is important for body image or sexuality and do not believe that hysterectomy will negatively affect their sex lives. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

F-MAP: A Bayesian approach to infer the gene regulatory network using external hints

PubMed Central

Shahdoust, Maryam; Mahjub, Hossein; Sadeghi, Mehdi

2017-01-01

The Common topological features of related species gene regulatory networks suggest reconstruction of the network of one species by using the further information from gene expressions profile of related species. We present an algorithm to reconstruct the gene regulatory network named; F-MAP, which applies the knowledge about gene interactions from related species. Our algorithm sets a Bayesian framework to estimate the precision matrix of one species microarray gene expressions dataset to infer the Gaussian Graphical model of the network. The conjugate Wishart prior is used and the information from related species is applied to estimate the hyperparameters of the prior distribution by using the factor analysis. Applying the proposed algorithm on six related species of drosophila shows that the precision of reconstructed networks is improved considerably compared to the precision of networks constructed by other Bayesian approaches. PMID:28938012

A compressed sensing based approach on Discrete Algebraic Reconstruction Technique.

PubMed

Demircan-Tureyen, Ezgi; Kamasak, Mustafa E

2015-01-01

Discrete tomography (DT) techniques are capable of computing better results, even using less number of projections than the continuous tomography techniques. Discrete Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (DART) is an iterative reconstruction method proposed to achieve this goal by exploiting a prior knowledge on the gray levels and assuming that the scanned object is composed from a few different densities. In this paper, DART method is combined with an initial total variation minimization (TvMin) phase to ensure a better initial guess and extended with a segmentation procedure in which the threshold values are estimated from a finite set of candidates to minimize both the projection error and the total variation (TV) simultaneously. The accuracy and the robustness of the algorithm is compared with the original DART by the simulation experiments which are done under (1) limited number of projections, (2) limited view problem and (3) noisy projections conditions.

Meaning-making in the aftermath of sudden infant death syndrome.

PubMed

Krueger, Guenther

2006-09-01

The reconstruction of meaning in the aftermath of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is part of the grieving process but has to date been poorly understood. Earlier theorists including Freud, Bowlby and Kübler-Ross provided a foundation for what occurs during this time using stage theories. More recent researchers, often using qualitative techniques, have provided a more complex and expanded view that enhances our knowledge of meaning reconstruction following infant loss. This overview of representative contemporary authors compares and contrasts them with the longstanding models that are being supplanted within the emerging field of thanatology. Understanding parental reactions within this new framework can help healthcare professionals in dealing with those affected by SIDS and provide a more empathic and sensitive approach to individual differences. Parents' own accounts of their post-SIDS experience are consistent with these newer theories. Comprehending how parents cope and reconstruct their lives is an important element in providing appropriate psychological support services.

Implants for reconstructive surgery of the nose and ears

PubMed Central

Berghaus, Alexander

2008-01-01

Implants shorten reconstruction, reduce trauma for the patients, are, in principle, of unlimited availability and can be given definable qualities that outnumber those of biological transplants. Lots of sometimes exotic materials have already been suggested for facial surgery and most of them have turned out to be unsuitable in the short or long term, because they did not satisfactorily fulfil the requirements of a “perfect implant”. However, transplants obviously cannot be regarded as ideal either because they often involve the necessity of a second intervention for removal, they are only available to a limited extent and some are at risk of postoperative deflection, shrinkage and absorption. This article is concerned with current knowledge about implant materials for rhinoplasty and ear reconstruction. Autogenous transplants will also be briefly discussed. The repetition of known facts should be largely avoided. In relation to this reference will be made to earlier papers [1]. PMID:22073082

Metabolic network reconstruction of Chlamydomonas offers insight into light-driven algal metabolism

PubMed Central

Chang, Roger L; Ghamsari, Lila; Manichaikul, Ani; Hom, Erik F Y; Balaji, Santhanam; Fu, Weiqi; Shen, Yun; Hao, Tong; Palsson, Bernhard Ø; Salehi-Ashtiani, Kourosh; Papin, Jason A

2011-01-01

Metabolic network reconstruction encompasses existing knowledge about an organism's metabolism and genome annotation, providing a platform for omics data analysis and phenotype prediction. The model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is employed to study diverse biological processes from photosynthesis to phototaxis. Recent heightened interest in this species results from an international movement to develop algal biofuels. Integrating biological and optical data, we reconstructed a genome-scale metabolic network for this alga and devised a novel light-modeling approach that enables quantitative growth prediction for a given light source, resolving wavelength and photon flux. We experimentally verified transcripts accounted for in the network and physiologically validated model function through simulation and generation of new experimental growth data, providing high confidence in network contents and predictive applications. The network offers insight into algal metabolism and potential for genetic engineering and efficient light source design, a pioneering resource for studying light-driven metabolism and quantitative systems biology. PMID:21811229

Estimating the Effective Permittivity for Reconstructing Accurate Microwave-Radar Images.

PubMed

Lavoie, Benjamin R; Okoniewski, Michal; Fear, Elise C

2016-01-01

We present preliminary results from a method for estimating the optimal effective permittivity for reconstructing microwave-radar images. Using knowledge of how microwave-radar images are formed, we identify characteristics that are typical of good images, and define a fitness function to measure the relative image quality. We build a polynomial interpolant of the fitness function in order to identify the most likely permittivity values of the tissue. To make the estimation process more efficient, the polynomial interpolant is constructed using a locally and dimensionally adaptive sampling method that is a novel combination of stochastic collocation and polynomial chaos. Examples, using a series of simulated, experimental and patient data collected using the Tissue Sensing Adaptive Radar system, which is under development at the University of Calgary, are presented. These examples show how, using our method, accurate images can be reconstructed starting with only a broad estimate of the permittivity range.

3-D Imaging In Virtual Environment: A Scientific Clinical and Teaching Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Muriel D.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

The advent of powerful graphics workstations and computers has led to the advancement of scientific knowledge through three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction and imaging of biological cells and tissues. The Biocomputation Center at NASA Ames Research Center pioneered the effort to produce an entirely computerized method for reconstruction of objects from serial sections studied in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The software developed, ROSS (Reconstruction of Serial Sections), is now being distributed to users across the United States through Space Act Agreements. The software is in widely disparate fields such as geology, botany, biology and medicine. In the Biocomputation Center, ROSS serves as the basis for development of virtual environment technologies for scientific and medical use. This report will describe the Virtual Surgery Workstation Project that is ongoing with clinicians at Stanford University Medical Center, and the role of the Visible Human data in the project.

Optimal reconstruction for closed-loop ground-layer adaptive optics with elongated spots.

PubMed

Béchet, Clémentine; Tallon, Michel; Tallon-Bosc, Isabelle; Thiébaut, Éric; Le Louarn, Miska; Clare, Richard M

2010-11-01

The design of the laser-guide-star-based adaptive optics (AO) systems for the Extremely Large Telescopes requires careful study of the issue of elongated spots produced on Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. The importance of a correct modeling of the nonuniformity and correlations of the noise induced by this elongation has already been demonstrated for wavefront reconstruction. We report here on the first (to our knowledge) end-to-end simulations of closed-loop ground-layer AO with laser guide stars with such an improved noise model. The results are compared with the level of performance predicted by a classical noise model for the reconstruction. The performance is studied in terms of ensquared energy and confirms that, thanks to the improved noise model, central or side launching of the lasers does not affect the performance with respect to the laser guide stars' flux. These two launching schemes also perform similarly whatever the atmospheric turbulence strength.

"Fossils" of practical medical knowledge from medieval Cairo.

PubMed

Lev, Efraim; Amar, Zohar

2008-09-02

To asses the scientific value of the practical medical fragments found in the Cairo Genizah (10th century), as a useful source for ethnopharmacological purposes (in exposing rare and usually inaccessible original medieval practical knowledge of medicinal substances to present-day researchers), and to reconstruct the practical drugs and their uses. A methodology distinguishing between theoretical (about 1500 fragments) and practical medical knowledge (about 230 fragments) was created and used. The information regarding the practical medicinal substances was extracted from prescriptions (140), lists of drugs (70) and few letters of physicians. The reconstructed lists of practical (278) and theoretical (414) drugs allow us to recognize and quantify the gap between them in medieval times (136). We propose that the data obtained from ancient prescriptions is comparable to ethnopharmacological surveys. The finding of plants such as myrobalan, saffron, licorice, spikenard and lentisk, all of which have scientifically proven anti-microbial/bacterial and anti-fungal activity, sheds a helpful light on the medical decision-making of the medieval practitioners in respect of the plants they applied as drugs. With the wealth of information meticulously assembled from these time capsules we expect to make a significant contribution to contemporary efforts at locating modern drugs in ancient roots and gauging their feasibility.

Automated discrete electron tomography - Towards routine high-fidelity reconstruction of nanomaterials.

PubMed

Zhuge, Xiaodong; Jinnai, Hiroshi; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E; Migunov, Vadim; Bals, Sara; Cool, Pegie; Bons, Anton-Jan; Batenburg, Kees Joost

2017-04-01

Electron tomography is an essential imaging technique for the investigation of morphology and 3D structure of nanomaterials. This method, however, suffers from well-known missing wedge artifacts due to a restricted tilt range, which limits the objectiveness, repeatability and efficiency of quantitative structural analysis. Discrete tomography represents one of the promising reconstruction techniques for materials science, potentially capable of delivering higher fidelity reconstructions by exploiting the prior knowledge of the limited number of material compositions in a specimen. However, the application of discrete tomography to practical datasets remains a difficult task due to the underlying challenging mathematical problem. In practice, it is often hard to obtain consistent reconstructions from experimental datasets. In addition, numerous parameters need to be tuned manually, which can lead to bias and non-repeatability. In this paper, we present the application of a new iterative reconstruction technique, named TVR-DART, for discrete electron tomography. The technique is capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts for a variety of challenging data and imaging conditions, and can automatically estimate its key parameters. We describe the principles of the technique and apply it to datasets from three different types of samples acquired under diverse imaging modes. By further reducing the available tilt range and number of projections, we show that the proposed technique can still produce consistent reconstructions with minimized missing wedge artifacts. This new development promises to provide the electron microscopy community with an easy-to-use and robust tool for high-fidelity 3D characterization of nanomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lensfree diffractive tomography for the imaging of 3D cell cultures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berdeu, Anthony; Momey, Fabien; Dinten, Jean-Marc; Gidrol, Xavier; Picollet-D'hahan, Nathalie; Allier, Cédric

2017-02-01

New microscopes are needed to help reaching the full potential of 3D organoid culture studies by gathering large quantitative and systematic data over extended periods of time while preserving the integrity of the living sample. In order to reconstruct large volumes while preserving the ability to catch every single cell, we propose new imaging platforms based on lens-free microscopy, a technic which is addressing these needs in the context of 2D cell culture, providing label-free and non-phototoxic acquisition of large datasets. We built lens-free diffractive tomography setups performing multi-angle acquisitions of 3D organoid cultures embedded in Matrigel and developed dedicated 3D holographic reconstruction algorithms based on the Fourier diffraction theorem. Nonetheless, holographic setups do not record the phase of the incident wave front and the biological samples in Petri dish strongly limit the angular coverage. These limitations introduce numerous artefacts in the sample reconstruction. We developed several methods to overcome them, such as multi-wavelength imaging or iterative phase retrieval. The most promising technic currently developed is based on a regularised inverse problem approach directly applied on the 3D volume to reconstruct. 3D reconstructions were performed on several complex samples such as 3D networks or spheroids embedded in capsules with large reconstructed volumes up to 25 mm3 while still being able to identify single cells. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such an inverse problem approach is implemented in the context of lens-free diffractive tomography enabling to reconstruct large fully 3D volumes of unstained biological samples.

Advances in imaging technologies for planning breast reconstruction

PubMed Central

Mohan, Anita T.

2016-01-01

The role and choice of preoperative imaging for planning in breast reconstruction is still a disputed topic in the reconstructive community, with varying opinion on the necessity, the ideal imaging modality, costs and impact on patient outcomes. Since the advent of perforator flaps their use in microsurgical breast reconstruction has grown. Perforator based flaps afford lower donor morbidity by sparing the underlying muscle provide durable results, superior cosmesis to create a natural looking new breast, and are preferred in the context of radiation therapy. However these surgeries are complex; more technically challenging that implant based reconstruction, and leaves little room for error. The role of imaging in breast reconstruction can assist the surgeon in exploring or confirming flap choices based on donor site characteristics and presence of suitable perforators. Vascular anatomical studies in the lab have provided the surgeon a foundation of knowledge on location and vascular territories of individual perforators to improve our understanding for flap design and safe flap harvest. The creation of a presurgical map in patients can highlight any abnormal or individual anatomical variance to optimize flap design, intraoperative decision-making and execution of flap harvest with greater predictability and efficiency. This article highlights the role and techniques for preoperative planning using the newer technologies that have been adopted in reconstructive clinical practice: computed tomographic angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), laser-assisted indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (LA-ICGFA) and dynamic infrared thermography (DIRT). The primary focus of this paper is on the application of CTA and MRA imaging modalities. PMID:27047790

Analysis of dental root apical morphology: a new method for dietary reconstructions in primates.

PubMed

Hamon, NoÉmie; Emonet, Edouard-Georges; Chaimanee, Yaowalak; Guy, Franck; Tafforeau, Paul; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques

2012-06-01

The reconstruction of paleo-diets is an important task in the study of fossil primates. Previously, paleo-diet reconstructions were performed using different methods based on extant primate models. In particular, dental microwear or isotopic analyses provided accurate reconstructions for some fossil primates. However, there is sometimes difficult or impossible to apply these methods to fossil material. Therefore, the development of new, independent methods of diet reconstructions is crucial to improve our knowledge of primates paleobiology and paleoecology. This study aims to investigate the correlation between tooth root apical morphology and diet in primates, and its potential for paleo-diet reconstructions. Dental roots are composed of two portions: the eruptive portion with a smooth and regular surface, and the apical penetrative portion which displays an irregular and corrugated surface. Here, the angle formed by these two portions (aPE), and the ratio of penetrative portion over total root length (PPI), are calculated for each mandibular tooth root. A strong correlation between these two variables and the proportion of some food types (fruits, leaves, seeds, animal matter, and vertebrates) in diet is found, allowing the use of tooth root apical morphology as a tool for dietary reconstructions in primates. The method was then applied to the fossil hominoid Khoratpithecus piriyai, from the Late Miocene of Thailand. The paleo-diet deduced from aPE and PPI is dominated by fruits (>50%), associated with animal matter (1-25%). Leaves, vertebrates and most probably seeds were excluded from the diet of Khoratpithecus, which is consistent with previous studies. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phillips-Tikhonov regularization with a priori information for neutron emission tomographic reconstruction on Joint European Torus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bielecki, J.; Scholz, M.; Drozdowicz, K.

A method of tomographic reconstruction of the neutron emissivity in the poloidal cross section of the Joint European Torus (JET, Culham, UK) tokamak was developed. Due to very limited data set (two projection angles, 19 lines of sight only) provided by the neutron emission profile monitor (KN3 neutron camera), the reconstruction is an ill-posed inverse problem. The aim of this work consists in making a contribution to the development of reliable plasma tomography reconstruction methods that could be routinely used at JET tokamak. The proposed method is based on Phillips-Tikhonov regularization and incorporates a priori knowledge of the shape ofmore » normalized neutron emissivity profile. For the purpose of the optimal selection of the regularization parameters, the shape of normalized neutron emissivity profile is approximated by the shape of normalized electron density profile measured by LIDAR or high resolution Thomson scattering JET diagnostics. In contrast with some previously developed methods of ill-posed plasma tomography reconstruction problem, the developed algorithms do not include any post-processing of the obtained solution and the physical constrains on the solution are imposed during the regularization process. The accuracy of the method is at first evaluated by several tests with synthetic data based on various plasma neutron emissivity models (phantoms). Then, the method is applied to the neutron emissivity reconstruction for JET D plasma discharge #85100. It is demonstrated that this method shows good performance and reliability and it can be routinely used for plasma neutron emissivity reconstruction on JET.« less